The All Beef Patties
The ground beef you use is a critical factor in duplicating the McFlavor. McDonald's uses only USDA certified 100% ground beef.
Well, if your supermarket is like mine, there are 5 or 6 different kinds to choose from. Ground round? Ground Sirloin? Ultra-lean? Ground beef? Ground Chuck?
McDonald's uses ground chuck. This is the exact fat to lean ratio. Ground chuck is 80% lean. So if your supermarket doesn't offer ground chuck, then buy ground beef that's 80% lean. It is the same.
Searing The Beef Patties
A very important step to recreating the McDonald's burger flavor is searing them properly.
Searing is the process of applying pressure to the frozen patties as they cook on the griddle. This is done about 20 seconds after laying the patties on the grill by pressing down with the back of a spatula, while adding pressure from your free hand.
Press down firmly for about 2 3 seconds on regular sized patties, and 5-6 seconds on quarter pound patties.
Searing seals in the juices and flavors. But it also makes the burger hard to turn. Properly seared patties will stick to the griddle, and you must actually "cut" the meat off of the surface as you turn them.
Non-stick surfaces help, but they also make it hard to get the even dark searing you need for great McBurgers. I suggest a cooking surface that is not non-stick… and a very strong, sharp spatula.
Seasoning your Hamburgers
Use the Special Seasoning described in this site, and use it liberally. Don't be stingy, put a lot on the patties while they're cooking. A good amount of it will "float" away with the fat. This is an important factor in the "McFlavor."
You'll need to use even more on the Quarter-Pounder patties.
Toasting the Buns
The buns on all of the McDonald's burgers must be toasted. (The only exception is the Filet-O-Fish®). This is done by laying the buns face down on a pre-heated 375° electric griddle. You need to apply light pressure to the buns in order to achieve uniform, even toasting. This toasting process only takes about a minute. The buns can be toasted in advance, tops (crowns) and bottoms (heels). They will be re-heated anyway. Toasting them in advance allows you extra time to dress them, as the meat patties cook very fast.
Dressing your Burgers
Each recipe is very specific in regards to what condiments are added to the bun. The amounts vary depending upon what recipe you are performing.
On the burgers that use ketchup and mustard, the mustard is always applied first. Five small "kisses" the diameter of a pencil go evenly around the toasted crown (top) of the bun about 1/2 inch from the edge. (If you connected the dots, it would make a pentagon)
The ketchup also is applied using five "squirts". The diameter is much larger, about the size of a nickel. And the pattern is easy - four evenly spaced "squirts" around the edge of the crown, and one in the middle. It should look like what a "5" looks like on dice.
For the other condiments, consult the specific recipe you are making.
The Ketchup
From the 1950's through 1980, McDonald’s used Hunt's® tomato catsup. In 1980 the company proceeded with plans to produce all of their condiments at their own plants. Hunt's® lost a big account, and it nearly threw them into bankruptcy.
McDonald's basically did what you're doing by visiting this site: They cloned Hunt's® catsup. Hunt's® catsup (they now spell it ketchup) has a subtle, tangy zip that Heinz® doesn't have. This is due to an extra ingredient not found in Heinz® - garlic powder. It is also a little thinner in consistency, allowing for better coverage on your burgers.
The Mustard
McDonald’s hamburgers uses such a small amount of mustard, honestly any classic yellow mustard will work just fine. For you die-hards, I suggest French's® classic yellow. Once again, French's® contains an ingredient that adds a small, extra zip to the flavor. You got it: garlic powder.
The Pickles
McDonald’s uses a very distinctive, tart dill slice. The only products that come close are
- Heinz® Genuine Dills (original sour dill)
- Vlasic® Original Dills (not kosher dills)
Of the two, Heinz® is the closest to McDonald’s, but Vlasic® is fairly close. The problem is that neither of these pickle products come pre-sliced, so you'll have to slice them yourself.
Slice them very thin. I suggest a consumer mandolin like the K-Tel® Dial-A-Slice. You can do it with a knife, but keeping it uniformly thin is tough. Also, these pickles are made of fairly small cucumbers, so slice them at an angle to get larger diameter dill slices.
The Onions
The regular Hamburgers, the Big Mac®, and the Breakfast Burrito all use reconstituted onions. You can buy these at your local supermarket in the spice aisle. Just look for dried chopped onion. Make sure they are chopped onion, and not minced.
To re-hydrate or reconstitute these dried onions, simply add 4 parts water to one part dried onion, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, drain the liquid and BAM - there they are! McDonald's little baby onions. Use the proper amount needed for your recipe, and refrigerate (covered) the leftovers.
"Q-ing" Methods
"Q-ing" was a McDonald's term for helping the flavors to meld via mechanical means; for example - heat lamp or microwave.
Wrapping your Burgers
Use waxed paper. The regular sized burgers require a sheet about 12"x12" square. The bigger burgers are better with 12"x16" sheets. (Big Macs® require about 12"x18")
Wrap them by laying the finished burger upside down in the center of the waxed paper. Fold two sides so they overlap. It will resemble an oblong tube with the burger in the middle, and two open ends. (with the seam on the bottom) Fold the open ends underneath the burger tightly. The burger is now wrapped.
The Big Mac® is done differently. Place it in the center of the waxed paper right side up. Then fold two sides of the waxed paper up over the top, again creating an oblong "tube". With the seam on top, fold the two other ends underneath.
Re-Heating your Burgers
Another important step to getting that "McFlavor" is the re-heating process.
Many of today's McDonald's have stopped microwaving, but the ones that still do usually over microwave them. This makes them absolutely horrible.
What most stores are doing now is disgusting. They pre-cook the meat and toss it in a tub that is a "warming drawer". They also keep the buns warm that way. Then they make your burger when you order it.
Sorry - but even the most sterile environments will allow bacteria to grow on food. If you have recently found yourself having to run to the toilet, sit down, and evacuate yourself like Jeff Daniels did in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" about an hour after downing a Big Mac®, it is because the food sits there too long.
Turns out, the heat lamps weren't that bad. At properly managed McDonald's stores, the food was thrown out, or "wasted" after 10 minutes wrapped under the heat lamps. Now a days… who knows how long the meat patties are festering in an incubator they call a "warming drawer"?
Re-Heating at Home
You can use your oven as a "heat lamp" substitute by wrapping the burgers in waxed paper and placing them in an oven set to "warm" for 5-10 minutes.
I suggest you actually microwave these burgers, while still wrapped, no more than 15 seconds each. If you have a nice, high-powered microwave like I do… you can do 4 of them at 30 seconds and they'll come out perfect. Remember… don't over microwave them.
McDonald’s Hamburger Seasoning
Use THIS seasoning on ALL McDonald’s hamburgers.
- 4 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons Accent® (MSG)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Mix all ingredients well. Use in a spice shaker with big enough holes for the pepper to flow. This seasoning is used liberally on all McDonald's hamburgers during the COOKING process.
McDonald’s Big X-Tra® Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons Lawry's® seasoned salt
- 3 teaspoons Jollytime® Buttery seasoning
- 1 crushed beef bullion cube
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
This seasoning is used exclusively on the Big X-Tra®.
Scrambling Eggs at McDonald's
Years ago, we scrambled 8 eggs at a time in the milkshake multi-mixers. We added no salt and no pepper.
Ways To Correctly Scramble Your Eggs
I suggest purchasing the Hamilton Beach® DrinkMaster™. It is a consumer version of the multi-mixers Ray Kroc sold to the McDonald brothers in the 1950's. You can also use this appliance to make perfect McDonald’s milkshakes. (I got mine at Wal-Mart for about $25 and love it)
Alternatives for scrambling your eggs, in order of preference
- Hand-held blender
- Standard blender
- Shaker method
- Wire whisk
DrinkMaster™ Instructions
Crack desired number of eggs into the silver, mixing cup that comes with the DrinkMaster™. Scramble at least 4, and no more than 8.
Follow the DrinkMaster™ instructions for quick mixing. Do not add seasoning. Scramble the eggs 30-45 seconds just prior to cooking time. They will be totally yellow-orange and quite frothy. That is the key to McDonald’s scrambled eggs - the foamy/frothy consistency caused by using the DrinkMaster™, followed by cooking immediately after scrambling.
Hand-Held Blender Instructions
Crack the amount of eggs you need into a small mixing bowl, and blend with the hand-held blender on its highest setting for 30-45 seconds. See above for the desired result. Cook immediately.
Standard Blender Instructions
Crack the desired amount of eggs into the pitcher and use the liquefy button. Blend 30-45 seconds until the eggs are one solid color, and very frothy. Cook immediately.
Shaker Instructions
Crack the needed amount of eggs into a Tupperware® type container, close the lid, and shake it vigorously for about 2 minutes. Your arms should be very, very tired. Cook immediately.
Wire Whisk Instructions
Do it like mom taught you, but make sure there are no streaks of whites. I don't suggest using this method, as it will lack the froth you need.
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