McDonald’s cheeseburger is a thin beef patty mixed with breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper, rolled to a quarter inch thick, seared for 2 to 3 minutes per side, topped with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, rehydrated onion and pickles on a buttered toasted bun. Fifty minutes, makes 6 at roughly 350 calories.
Rolling each patty between two sheets of parchment paper until it is a quarter inch thick is the step that gets you the right size. At that thickness the patty looks far too wide for the bun, which is exactly right, because it shrinks back to bun size as it cooks. Skip the rolling and press them by hand and they end up too thick, which means they cook unevenly and do not taste like the original.
Half a teaspoon of salt across a full pound of beef sounds low, but the maths is specific. A McDonald’s patty has roughly 125mg of sodium. Multiply by six patties per pound and account for the fact that sodium is only half the weight of salt, and you land at half a teaspoon. More than that and the patty tastes like a seasoned smash burger instead of a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Less and it tastes like unseasoned beef.
McDonald’s Cheeseburger
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings30
minutes20
minutes350
kcalGround beef mixed with breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper, rolled thin between parchment, seared in a skillet, topped with American cheese, ketchup, yellow mustard, rehydrated onion and dill pickles on a buttered toasted bun. Microwaved for 15 seconds to melt the cheese and soften the bun.
Ingredients
- For the patties:
1 lb ground beef, 80/20
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- For assembly:
6 hamburger buns, smooth top, no sesame seeds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
3 teaspoons minced onion, rehydrated in water
6 slices American cheese
12 dill pickle slices
Directions
- Mix the patties:Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Knead with your hands for about 3 minutes until uniform.
- Roll thin:Divide into 6 equal portions. Place each ball between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to a quarter inch thick with a rolling pin. Stack with wax paper between each patty. Freeze if not cooking immediately.
- Toast the buns:Heat a skillet over medium heat. Butter the inside of each bun and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until golden. Set aside.
- Sear the patties:Cook in the same skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Set aside.
- Build and finish:Bottom bun, patty, cheese slice. Top bun gets ketchup, mustard, onions and pickles. Close the burger and microwave for 15 seconds to melt the cheese and soften the bun. Serve immediately.
FAQs
Why add breadcrumbs and egg to the patty?
They bind the thin patty so it holds together during rolling and cooking. At a quarter inch thick, plain ground beef crumbles the moment you try to flip it. The egg acts as glue and the breadcrumbs absorb moisture so the patty stays together without falling apart in the skillet.
Why use a smooth bun instead of sesame seed?
The McDonald’s cheeseburger and hamburger use a plain smooth-top bun. Sesame seed buns are for the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder. If you use a sesame bun it still tastes good, but it is a different sandwich.
Why microwave the assembled burger at the end?
It melts the cheese fully and softens the toasted bun into that slightly compressed, warm texture you get when you unwrap one at the restaurant. Fifteen seconds is enough. Longer makes the bun rubbery and the pickles hot.
What should you serve alongside a McDonald’s cheeseburger?
Thin shoestring fries are the classic pairing and the closest to the restaurant experience. Hash browns work for breakfast. A cold dill pickle spear on the side adds crunch. A vanilla milkshake or a cold cola finishes the meal.
How do you store and reheat these?
Take the burger apart before refrigerating. Wrap patties separately from buns and toppings. Cooked patties keep for 2 days in the fridge. Uncooked rolled patties freeze stacked with wax paper for up to 2 months. Reheat the patty in a hot skillet, toast the bun fresh, rebuild, and microwave for 15 seconds.
