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mcdonalds hamburger copycat recipe

McDonald's Hamburger Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 4 plain soft hamburger buns (about 3.5 inches wide)
  • 4 tsp yellow mustard
  • 4 tbsp ketchup
  • 16 dill pickle slices
  • 1/4 small white onion, finely minced
  • 4 leaves iceberg lettuce (optional)
  • 4 slices American cheese (optional)

Method
 

  1. Divide the beef into 4 portions and press each into a patty about 4 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Stir together the 4 tbsp ketchup and 4 tsp yellow mustard, then spread onto the 4 bun bottoms and top with minced onion.
  3. Season the patties with the 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, then sear in a hot dry skillet over high heat for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second; add 1 slice American cheese per patty in the last 30 seconds if using.
  4. Press the bun tops face-down in the same pan for 30 seconds to warm them, or rest them on the cheesy patties to steam.
  5. Stack each patty onto a sauced bun bottom, add 4 pickle slices and a lettuce leaf, then close the bun and serve open-faced for a moment so the layers are visible before eating.

Notes

These patties are thin, so the window between perfect and overdone is short. Keep the heat high and trust the timing. If your pan is on the smaller side, cook in 2 batches rather than crowding, since too many patties at once drop the pan temperature and you'll lose the sear.