Homemade "Big Mac" Recipe | Chef Sous Chef (2024)

Real fast food you can feel good eating, our Homemade Big Mac recipe houses the same classic layers, but made with buns from a local bakery, grass-fed ground beef, Canadian cheddar and secret sauce.

I can't remember the last time we had McDonalds. Well, I can. It was December 31st, more than a decade ago; Philip and I vowed to give up the golden arches as a New Year's Resolution. But only after indulging in a Big Mac one last time.

Since then, we've replaced fast food with real food – you know; pronounceable, good for you kind of food – and replaced our cravings by making our own homemade versions of fast food, like our Oven Baked French Fries, Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwich and this; our homemade Big Mac recipe made with secret sauce.

But what exactly is a Big Mac? To most this may seem like a silly question, but an article in the Wall Street Journal reported that only 1 in 5 millennials have ever tasted a Big Mac. For those who haven't tasted it, Big Mac ingredients are simply: two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun, and from memory, it is delicious.

And for those who have tasted it, our Homemade Big Mac recipe has the same classic burger made with buns from a local bakery, grass-fed ground beef, Canadian cheddar, and Homemade Big Mac Sauce; in essence, it's real food fast that you can feel good eating. Like any good burger, this Big Mac recipe is all about the layers. And, following our 4 pre-assembly steps will ensure your burger is big and mighty.

Four Keys to the Perfect Homemade Big Mac

Big Mac Bun

While McDonald's uses a sesame seed bun, we opted for a classic bun cutting it into thirds. If the bun doesn't allow for thirds, cut two buns in half. Use the bottom bun of the second as the middle bun of your burger, and save the top for later.

Philip and I LOVE a well-toasted bun, so what we do is spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the buns and grill it on a frying pan for 30 seconds to a minute. The mayonnaise acts like butter or olive oil and gives the bun an added layer of crunch and flavor.

Big Mac Meat

No matter the type of burger you're eating, the taste really is all in the meat. Seasoned with black pepper and salt, our Big Mac patties shine best with grass-fed ground beef from our local butcher. The key though to copycatting is all in the thickness of the meat.

When forming your patties be sure to compare the size of your bun because we all know that the bun to meat ratio must be precise.

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When forming your patties, compare to the size of your bun because we all know bun to meat ratio must be precise. To reach the ultimate ¼ inch thickness, we place our patties in between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it before frying.

How to Make Big Mac Sauce

Now to the secret sauce. It's the one ingredient that separates a Big Mac from a regular burger, but what's so special about this sauce? Some use French dressing or Thousand island dressing, and while we are sure these aren't the actual Big Mac ingredients, our secret sauce is made with a handful of items: mix ketchup and mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of the diced onion and diced pickles and spread it on your burger. (Over the past few years, we have updated the recipe for our Homemade Big Mac Sauce to be a closer resemblance to the real deal)

Big Mac Assembly

The Big Mac is all about the layers. Starting from the bottom and working your way to the top, spread a little secretsauce over the bottom base. Top with chopped onion, shredded lettuce, beef patty (grilled with a layer of cheese) and three pickle slices. Top with the middle bun layer, and add more secret sauce, onion, lettuce, pickles, a patty and then more sauce.

Tip: for extra crunch factor, we add a layer of chips on the bottom and middle buns. Serve with chips or french fries, and a side of extra sauce, of course.

Bon appetit,

Chef Sous Chef

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