McDonald's Hamburger
5 servings
60 minutes
The McDonald's hamburger is an icon of American fast food that has won the hearts of millions worldwide. Its history dates back to the mid-20th century when speed and convenience became the main values of dining. The classic version includes a tender beef patty fried without oil, a soft bun with light caramelization, aromatic rehydrated onions, crunchy pickles, and spicy notes of mustard and ketchup. The balance of flavors is what makes this hamburger so recognizable: the juiciness of the meat, the slight sweetness of the bun, and the pleasant tanginess of the sauces. Perfect for quick snacks, on-the-go lunches, or simply fond memories of iconic taste. Today, the hamburger remains a symbol of affordable and hearty food that is easy to prepare even at home.
1
So, let's start. First, soak the dried onion. Just cover it with a glass of clean cold water. Ideally, the onion should steep for at least 3 hours (that was the standard at McDonald's), but 1 hour is also fine, but not less. If you don't want to wait, you can pour boiling water over it. This will make it swell much faster.
- Ground dried onion: 50 g
- Water: 200 ml
2
While our onion is 'recovering', let's move on to the beef. Lean beef should be ground with butter added. This is to avoid adding sunflower oil when frying and to fry in a dry pan. If the minced meat is coarse, grind it again. IMPORTANT!!! Under no circumstances add onion, bread, or milk to the minced meat — it will turn out completely different. Divide the minced meat into five patties according to the size of the buns. The thinner the patty, the better. If you have larger patties — no worries, put the extras in the freezer.
- Lean beef: 500 g
- Butter: 70 g
3
Slice the cucumber into thin round pieces. If the onion has revived, pour out the remaining water and proceed to frying the buns.
- Pickles: 1 piece
4
Buns can be bought with or without sesame. Cut them in half and toast the cut side over medium heat until caramelized. It's better to fry 1 bun and 1 patty for each hamburger for juiciness.
- Hamburger bun: 5 piece
5
Set the ready buns aside and move on to the meat. Preheat the pan to high temperature. Place the patties on it and fry each side for 1-2 minutes (or longer if your patties are thicker than those at McDonald's). Don't overdo it; the patties should be juicy, not dry. After frying the second side, sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
- Lean beef: 500 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
We take the toasted top part of the bun and flip it over. We drizzle mustard and ketchup to taste on it. Next, we add a generous pinch of rehydrated onion and 2-3 slices of cucumber. If it's a cheeseburger, we add a slice of cheese. We cover it all with a patty and the remaining half of the bun. Flip it over and eat). Enjoy your meal!
- English mustard: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ketchup: to taste
- Ground dried onion: 50 g
- Pickles: 1 piece
- Lean beef: 500 g