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.
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 ( I know, but it must be red.)
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.
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