How to Make a McDonald's Big Mac

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: November 4, 2024

“Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun!” What's that spell? BIG MAC! You know you want one, but you don't want to drive to McDonald's, so how do you get your fast-food fix? Making this recipe is easy, fun to do -- and you can make it your own way!

Ingredients

For the Sandwich:

1 regular-sized sesame seed bun
2 regular-sized sesame bun (top removed for one)
2 beef patties (2 ounces each, flattened to bun size)
2 tablespoons Special Sauce (recipe below)
2 teaspoons finely-minced onions
1 slice American cheese
3 dill pickle slices
1/4 cup shredded iceberg lettuce (rinsed, drained)

For the Special Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons French salad dressing
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Steps

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Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, and blend the mixture until smooth. Store it in the refrigerator for about an hour before use to allow flavors to blend.
Take the crusts of the bun or in other words the bottom and top part where it's hard, and feed it to the birds, use it as a coaster, or just throw it away if you wish because it's not needed in this recipe.

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Flatten two patties to about 3-1/2 inches (85mm) in diameter, and about 1/4 inch (8mm) thick.
4
Prepare the toppings.
- Mince about a quarter of a small white onion and set aside.
- Shred or chop an iceberg lettuce leaf into thin strips.
You can cook it however you wish and to your preference for doneness (rare to well done).
While the patties are frying, gently toast the buns. Do this to the both sides of the regular bun bottom and toast the sesame bun as usual (the inner sides).
Take the bottom of the regular bun and the bottom of the sesame bun and put 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of the sauce on them.
8
Add lettuce, cheese, and pickles. Grab a big pinch of the sliced lettuce and plop it onto each sauced bun.
- On the bottom bun (the sesame), place a slice of cheese on top of the lettuce. On the regular bun, put the pickle slices on the lettuce.
Stack each burger patty on top of the condiments (cheese and pickles) on each layer. Top both layers with minced onions.
10
Stack it up. Pick up, carefully, the regular bun (with everything) and stack it on the bottom layer.
- Place the top of the sesame bun on top of the burger.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I make the patty juicy?

Chef Jeff Woodward
Private Chef
Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College.

Chef Jeff Woodward

Private Chef

Expert Answer

You have to start with the right meat. Go for 80-20 ground beef, meaning 80% lean and 20% fat. The extra fat keeps the patty moist and flavorful, avoiding that dreaded dryness you’d get from a leaner 90-10 blend. To season, a good sprinkle of salt and pepper does wonders, but adding some garlic powder or granulated garlic brings extra depth to the flavor. Now, let’s talk about shaping your patty. I recommend a thick patty, about six to eight ounces. Once you shape it, press a small dimple in the center of each patty. This helps keep it from puffing up and allows it to cook more evenly. When grilling, aim for medium—this keeps the inside juicy without overcooking. If you prefer cheese, put a slice on the patty while it’s still on the grill so it melts perfectly.

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Question

How much time would it take to make a Big Mac?

Community Answer

The amount of time that it'll take to make a Big Mac is around 3-5 minutes, depending on the orders.

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Tips

You can double the number of patties in a sandwich to create a double Big Mac.

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Try adding a bit of tomato, swap out the minced onion for onion slices, and use a leaf of Romaine lettuce. It'll still have that Big Mac vibe — it'll just be more robust.

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According to some websites (as stated in the food.com website source below), part of the dressing is really Thousand Island dressing. Take a bite of one, and taste it. You'll see that Thousand Island is really what part of this dressing is.

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