Big Mac

The Big Mac, an iconic burger that debuted in the late '60s, has ingrained its list of components into our minds, thanks to the hit jingle that goes a little like this: "Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a sesame seed bun." This is my stab at making a copycat version of the classic at home: “I’m lovin’ it,” and I know you will too! The best part? Don’t love pickles? Want a different kind of cheese? Prefer lettuce wraps to a bun? With a copycat, you can “have it your way” (including using whichever fast food jingles you want 😉!).

How To Make A Copycat Big Mac

INGREDIENTS

• The sauce: Raise your hand if you thought ketchup was in the sauce. Yes, me too! After taking a look at the ingredient list, my mind was blown when I didn’t see it there. So where does its quintessential pink hue come from? Paprika! Make sure to use the reddest paprika you can find, and if you’re feeling a little extra, use smoked paprika.

There was one other ingredient that left me scratching my heads: yeast extract, a flavor enhancer used in food manufacturing that adds umami to whatever it’s used in. Vegemite and Marmite are the closest you’re going to get to it as a home cook, but since I know not everyone has this ingredient stocked in their pantry, I went with the next best thing—a beef bouillon paste, which is composed of concentrated beef stock and yeast extract. Translation: flavor bomb.

• The burger: The beef patties here are super-thin and will cook up around medium-well to well done, so the biggest piece of advice here is to stick with a fattier beef blend, which is why I recommend 80/20. The higher fat ratio will help keep the burgers nice and juicy.

That said, the best part about making a copycat recipe is your ability to customize, so feel free to swap in for your preferred. Similarly, if you’re always frustrated with having to order your Big Mac without pickles or onions, they’re easily skipped or swapped here.

The one quintessential part of a McDonald’s Big Mac that I don’t recommend you skip is the three layers of buns. This recipe makes 4 burgers, so you’ll actually need 6 buns total (plan ahead!). Personally, I preferred to use bottom buns for my middle one, but if you’re making for a crowd you can mix and match—tops and bottoms will both work.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, pull the beef out of the fridge to get it close to room temp while you're making the sauce. You might already have everything you need for this sauce in your fridge and pantry, making it super easy to throw together. While you could use it right away, I found the flavors got better after sitting in the fridge for a while, so make it ahead if you can. Heck, since you’re making it ahead, why not make extra—this stuff is great on fries, as a salad dressing (like in our Big Mac salad, below), or as a sauce for sandwiches of all kinds.

Next, you’ll want to chop and soak the onions. Because you’ll be eating them raw here, soaking the onions in cold water is a great way to help tame their potent biting flavor and keep them from standing out too much in your burger. Once they’ve soaked for around 10 to 30 minutes, you can drain them and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to help soak up any residual liquid.

Then, you can start forming your burgers. I recommend splitting the beef into 4 equal parts, then rolling and flattening them. If you’ve got a jar lid that’s the right size, forming the burgers into one lined with plastic wrap is a great way to keep them uniform. Keep in mind: McD’s keeps theirs pretty thin, so do the same if you want that authenticity. Because burgers shrink up a little when cooked, make them just a touch bigger than the buns to guarantee a good balance in every bite. Speaking of balance, just a little salt and pepper is all that is needed for seasoning here.

Before cooking the burgers, you’ll want to toast the buns. I liked to do it in a little oil for added flavor, but if you’ve got a toaster oven or air fryer, that works too.

Once those are toasty, you can cook your burgers. If your pan is big enough, feel free to cook all 4 at a time, or you can work in batches. They should only need a few minutes per side.

Finally, it's assembly time! Spread some sauce on the bottom bun, then build up your burger. I went with cheese, onions, lettuce, pickles, then first burger patty, but it’s really up to you (and how melty you want that cheese to get—if very, put it closer to your warm burgers). Top with a second bun, then repeat the process. Close with a top bun and repeat until you’ve got as many burgers as you and your crew desire.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

What To Serve With A Big Mac

• French Fries: Duh! Go classic in a fryer, like at McD’s, or branch out with our air fryer French fries, our steak fries, our sweet potato fries, or even our Burger King chicken fries (😈).
• Milkshake: Strawberry, chocolate, malted, shamrock… there are no rules when you’re at home!
• McDonald's Apple Pie: The best of McDonald’s dessert options, IMO.

Storage

Like most burgers, these are really best day of, but you can do some prep to save yourself some time day of: forming the patties, making the sauce, chopping the onions, and shredding the lettuce can all happen the day before you plan to serve these. Have leftovers? You might want to ditch the lettuce, but the burgers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.