Do you remember Big Mac Attacks? Was that just a Seventies thing? As a teenager in the 1970’s, God knows I had my share of them, attacks and Big Macs both. At least at that age, most of us could eat and survive pretty much anything.
It’s been a little over 4 years since my last visit to a McDonalds. (My brother-in-law Jim & I stopped there for breakfast when I was moving back to the city in March 2017.) Strangely, I have a McDonalds less than 1 mile from me, but it might as well be 100; it’s at the bottom of a VERY steep hill, across a 5 lane expressway.
As I no longer have a car, you couldn’t pay me to try walking there!
But I don’t need to, I don’t sit around craving McDonald’s anymore. And then the other night, I’m in bed watching YouTube videos before going to sleep, when I see a thumbnail for “Best Burger Sauce Taste Test”.
There’s this pair of guys who make taste test videos on everything from fried chicken sandwiches to supermarket hot dogs, and in this one they were comparing hamburger sauces from McDonalds, Whataburger, Shake Shack, Wendy’s (?) and In-N-Out Burger. (I wasn’t aware Wendy’s had a burger sauce?)
As I lay there drooling, they chomped down on a platter of hamburgers & sauces, giving serious appraisals of each one. Which sauce was the winner? The Big Mac sauce, of course.
For the first time in many years, I felt a serious Big Mac Attack coming on. It was time to nip this in the bud.
I wasn’t about to pay a fortune to Uber Eats or Grubhub or any of those other pricey delivery services for a damn hamburger though. For the last 15 years or so, I’ve sometimes attempted to find the right Bic Mac Sauce recipe. Never did though. Until now.
This was shared by a chef on some foodie message board, who said if you followed his recipe to the T, you’d have it. NO SUBSTITUTIONS & NO ADD-ONS.
Homemade Big Mac Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons French dressing
4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon finely minced (dried) white onion
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
After you mix everything together, it’s going to be drippy, salty, bitter. YOU HAVE TO LET IT CHILL for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator, where it will thicken and blend.
Here’s my version of a Big Mac; because of my limited jaw opening, I omitted the ‘bun in the middle’. But I still used two all-beef patties (cooked together as one), special sauce lettuce cheese, pickles onions on a sesame seed bun. And toasted the bun of course.
The trick is to use the same quantity of ingredients too. I love a thick slab of onion, but you can’t do that here. Just a little bit of chopped onion. And only 2 pickle slices too. I even put the slice of cheese under the hamburger, not on top.
IT WAS PERFECT. With a big dollop of that sauce, the taste was 100% Big Mac.
I WILL NEVER GO BIG MAC-LESS AGAIN
I can't read this post without singing the song!
ReplyDeleteYep, you've been McBrainwashed like me! :)
DeleteI do hear that song but sad to say but I am a big Mac virgin. Never had one and usually go for the pint sized regular cheese burger. May just have to give one a try. I'd hate to die a B M virgin:) Then if I like it, I'll try your version.
ReplyDeletePatti I would've responded sooner but I had trouble getting my jaw up from the floor--WHAT THE HECK!!! How is this even possible! Well, I hope someday you actually try one--and I 100% guarantee this sauce is THE sauce. If you go to Ebay and do a search on Big Mac sauce--bottles sold for a limited time 4-5 years ago sell for almost a hundred dollars now :^)
DeleteI've never had a Big Mac in my life, not being a hamburger person. But that looks VERY professional. I was wondering about how your jaw was doing. If you can eat that, it must be better! For fast food, I love Sbux bacon gouda breakfast sandwich. It's my go to any time of day.
ReplyDeleteA second Big Mac virgin, how is it possible?? I am truly blown away! And Margaret, that sandwich sounds very high brow, you sound Seattle alright! ;^) PS The jaw has good & bad days, but I'll never open too wide again--and thank you for saying my burger looked professional :)
DeleteLove a McDonalds. I usually order the Big Mac, is that the one with some coleslaw in it? That's the one I usually have. My daughters still prefer the chicken nuggets. Yours looks really good. And now I'm hungry.
ReplyDeleteJoey I wouldn't say it was coleslaw but between the sauce and the chopped lettuce it's close enough to that 🙂 Sounds like you're a man of good taste! 👌
DeleteOnce again I must say that lucky you live Hawaii. My nearest McDonalds is about six blocks away. Very easy to get to. Plus they have a special. Buy one, get one for $1.00. I now know where I will eat lunch today.
ReplyDeleteYou live in Hawaii and buy one get one for $1.00 too. David H, you certainly live a pretty nice life... oh and you have that giant tv too! :^)
DeleteGlad you are pleased with the sauce recipe, Doug. My co-workers and I would flock to a McDonald's once a year for a greasy feast. Nowadays, I would ask to "hold everything but the lettuce and onions". Bon appetite!
ReplyDeleteFlorence, I can replicate that entire greasy feast in my own kitchen, I don't have to go anywhere! I'm surprised to see your nice comment, I thought you were going to let me have it. :^)
DeleteSorry Dug, I never had a big Mac either... always went for the plain cheeseburger when traveling (that's the only time we hit McDonald's - always have clean bathrooms). And I'm not a big hamburger fan either, but I have to say that What-a-burger does tempt me on occasion. My brother-in-law started us on them... and even though we don't do it often, it's like... every once in a while we'll both say, "What-a-burger?? Yes!!"
ReplyDeleteRian I am no longer surprised, but I AM jealous--we have no What-a-burgers in my part of the country! But I've seen & heard plenty about 'em!
DeleteHi Doug, I may try making this next week just to test it. I still visit McDonalds once a month when I stop for a late lunch on a return trip back home. I love Big Macs but haven't had one for years. I usually get the 2 cheeseburger extra value meal which includes fries and a drink. The only reason I don't get the Big Mac is because I can't eat that and drive at the same time. It's too messy to eat in the car while driving otherwise I would probably get it. To get the bun in the middle, I think I will need to slice one of the bottom hamburger buns in half.
ReplyDeleteWow Suemn, thanks for sharing--now i'm anxious to hear how you like it :^)
DeleteHi Doug, I made the Big Macs today. I ate one around 1:00 p.m. It is now 8 p.m. and I am just starting to get hungry again. ha! The Big Mac was very good but I've got to learn how to make thinner patties if I ever make them again because I used almost, 1/4 lb. per patty. Not quite that much but almost. Anyway, I was just stuffed. I have one more Big Mac that I wrapped and put in the refrigerator and I know it'll be tasty when I do eat it but it won't be tonight:) Thanks for sharing the recipe. It's always fun to try something new.
DeleteHi Sue, thanks for sharing--wow, now you've got me hungry for this again! I'm glad you liked it and yep, just like yourself I need to make the burgers a lot smaller next time too :^) I'm really glad the sauce worked out for you, thanks again for the update!
DeleteDoug, I swear I think you could cook anything. You have duplicated the Big Mac at home - congratulations! I always thought their special sauce was something like Thousand Island salad dressing but I guess I was wrong. You did good getting that recipe!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, thanks and I DID TOO (about the Thousand Island), tried so many variations of that! You know, they would make a small fortune if they sold this stuff, but I guess McDonald's figures they're rich enough. :) Thanks again!
DeleteI never ate MacDonald's food too often, I preferred my own home cooking, but when the kids were old enough we took them maybe once or twice a year. When they were older and working it was a different story. If they wanted Big Macs they went and got them. I feel the need for a greasy cheeseburger maybe once every three years or so.
ReplyDeleteRiver, my parents never took us to McD's, but I somehow managed to go enough with friends or on my own :) Well, now that I'm older, even if I had one closer I wouldn't go-like you, I prefer my own cooking. But when that craving hits...!
DeleteI actually prefer the Burger King Impossible Burger now. During my Two Year absence from eating Meats, I tried it and couldn't tell the difference that it was Plant based and not real Meat. The Family didn't Believe me, 'til I Tricked them all, now they are Believers... I ask for extra Onion and I like that they don't ruin it slathering it with Sauces.
ReplyDeleteBohemian I always like your comments! If I had a choice, I'd go for flame-broiled over frying every time, and I'm dying to try one of those Impossible burgers! That's too funny about your family too! Good for you! :)
DeleteFunny how Pandemic has created unusual cravings we never had before... I'm not big on eating Ice-Cream at all... but since Pandemic have had a Weird craving for it and eaten it more in the past Year than probably during my entire Lifetime. *LOL* So I get your Big Mac Attack... glad you scratched that itch.
DeleteI see that my hubby commented on your blog. Haha. Well, he did buy a Big Mac yesterday and enjoyed it. Me? I cooked a frozen dinner instead, as I don't care for Big Macs for some reason.
ReplyDeleteGigi it's always a nice surprise to hear from David! And I am not surprised you don't care for Big Macs, I'm beginning to think they're mostly for guys only ;^)
DeleteI’ve had a Big Mac, but you know what? Both Art and I prefer Burger King’s Whopper Jr. Your Big Mac creation is darn impressive though. You constantly amaze me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay you're too kind :) oh and I'll take flame-broiled over fried every time :)
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