All-American Home Made Big Mac!
Happy National Hamburger Day! Make yourself a home made Big Mac to celebrate! As a child of the 1990s, McDonald’s was a major pillar in the structure of my life. Because my family was very frugal with their money, my sisters and I often dreamed of dolls and toys from television commercials knowing that they were never coming home with us. Now that I am an adult I realize what a huge waste of money these overpriced toys are. But as a young child, these seemed to be the end-all be-all of life itself. You felt like you had to have a Barbie doll, Furby, and Tomagachi to fit in with the other kids.
Anyway, this was why I looked forward to Happy Meals as a kid. It often came with a toy that otherwise would never have reached my eager hands. As I grew older, I began to appreciate food for its own merits as opposed to its role as a bridge to coveted toys. I realized that the Big Mac tasted so much better than the cheeseburgers in Happy Meals. Back in those days, supersize was the way to go. Of course, at the time we did not realize that this would contribute to an already growing obesity epidemic. I remember the joy and reckless abandon with which I approached each Big Mac combo.
A Healthier Version of the Classic Big Mac
Unhealthy eating habits led to alarming weight gain for me into my early twenties. I realized that I could not eat McDonald’s on a regular basis if I wanted to live a long healthy life so I changed my eating habits and exercise habits. Nowadays my typical lunch and dinner plates are filled with veggies and lean proteins.
But every once in a while, I crave food that transports me back to the simple days. I return to my childhood favorites, and the Big Mac is definitely #1 for me. Something I’ve learned about food is that nothing improves the taste of food more than nostalgia. Well….nothing beside extreme hunger.
So, in attempt to relive fond childhood memories, I made my own home made Big Mac. It is a very easy recipe, and unlike the original Big Mac, it only has 1 slice of cheese, 1 patty, and 2 pieces bun. It satisfies my craving without breaking the calorie bank. My husband was definitely a happy camper when I made this for dinner. Hope you enjoy it too!
What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Buy?
The fattier the ground beef, the more juicy and tender it is. 80% lean beef is even fattier and juicier, but I just used the 85% lean ground beef and it turned out great.
How do I season my burger patty?
I like to season my ground beef and mix it together, then form a patty. It gives the meat better flavor. Some people choose to form the patty and then put the seasoning on top. It depends on personal preference, but I am always in favor of more flavor.
How do I form the perfect burger patty?
Do not smash or press your burgers as they cook. That will release all the juices and result in a dry patty.
I know the classic Big Mac has thin patties, but this home made Big Mac features one big thick, juicy patty. For burger patties, always make the patty a bit larger in circumference than your bun. Burger patties shrink when they are cooked, and if yours is too small it throws off the ratio of your cheeseburger.
When shaping the burger patty, make slight dent in the middle. Big shout out to Rachel Ray for teaching me that one! Burgers plump up as they cook, so making a dent toward the middle will allow it to be flat/even when cooked.
How do I cook my burgers?
I have a tutorial on searing steak that covers the basics of meat searing. The basic principles are simple:
- Hot oil
- Hot pan
- Room temperature meat
- Cast iron skillet
- Do not move the meat around once it is in the pan!
- Flip only once
- The thicker the burger, the more time it needs to cook
Price Comparison
What did I spend to make these burgers? 1 bun ($.33), 1 burger patty ($1.5), lettuce ($.25), thousand island dressing ($.25), onion ($.25).
Restaurant ($3.99-10) vs. Home-made ($2.58)
Let’s be honest: McDonald’s makes some super cheap food, which likely reflects the lower quality of ingredients. So if you buy a Big Mac from McDonald’s, you will not save a lot of money when you do a home-made version. But the quality of burger you can make at home will be far superior to what you can get from any fast food chain. Ordering a gourmet burger like this one will likely cost you $10 at a restaurant. $10 vs. $2.58 is a much bigger price difference. When it comes to gourmet burgers, making them at home is a lot more budget friendly than ordering out.
Happy cooking!
Blended Cheeseburger with Romesco Sauce
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 large beef steak tomato cut into 4 slices
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
Romesco Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 piece jarred roasted bell pepper
- 1/4 c sun dried tomatoes
- 1/4 c toasted almonds
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake
Burger Patty
- 4 crimini mushrooms minced
- 1/2 lb 85% lean ground beef
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
Toppings & Buns
- 2 slices provolone cheese
- 1 handful arugula
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 brioche burger buns
Instructions
- Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Place garlic cloves into the oven and allow to roast 30 minutes or until garlic is softened.
- While garlic is roasting, turn on your conventional oven to broil or highest heat setting. If you do not own a toaster oven, roasted the garlic first and then broil the tomatoes afterward.
- Slice tomatoes and place onto a baking sheet. Season with olive oil and salt. When oven has pre-heated, place tomatoes in the oven 6 inches from broiler. Broil for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the tomatoes have a golden brown crust.
- Prepare burger patties. Use a food processor to pulse crimini mushrooms until they are finely minced, about 10 seconds. Add minced mushrooms and rosemary to ground beef. Mix until just incorporated, but do not over-mix.
- Form 2 burger patties. Make them slightly bigger than your burger buns, as burger patties shrink during cooking. Make burger patties approximately 3/4 inch thick on the edge, with the center slightly thinner than the edges. This will allow space for the center to rise during cooking.
- Season both surfaces of the burger patty with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Take broiled tomatoes out of the oven and set aside.
- When roasted garlic is softened, remove from oven. Wait until they cool ~10 minutes. When garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze roasted garlic out of their paper skins.
- Combine roasted garlic with romesco sauce ingredients: roasted bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, toasted almonds, olive oil, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and red pepper flake. Using a food processor, blend until the sauce is smooth like the texture of pesto. Scrape down the sides for even blending. Set aside.
- Heat a cast iron skillet on high until it just begins to smoke. Turn the heat to medium and drizzle in olive oil. Place burger patties into the cast iron skillet. Cook burgers 2 1/2 minutes on each side for medium rare and 3 minutes on each side for medium, flipping only once. If your burger patties are thicker than 3/4 inch, they may need extra cooking time.
- Flip burger patties once a golden brown crust has formed at the bottom of the patties. After flipping the burger patties, place provolone cheese slices on top and cover with a lid for the remaining 2 1/2 minutes-3 minutes of cooking. This will melt the cheese.
- When burger patties are done and cheese has melted, set aside.
- Dress arugula with lemon juice and black pepper.
- Assemble the burgers. For each burger, spread 2 tbsp of the romesco sauce onto the bottom bun. Then place the burger patty on top of the romesco sauce. Place 2 slices of roasted tomato on top of the burger patty, followed by arugula salad. Finally place the top bun and enjoy!
Tag me on instagram @jennskitchendiary to share your version of a gourmet burger!
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