Homemade quarter pounder burger (better than McDonald’s)

The quarter-pounder is an underrated burger. Everyone talks about the Big Mac, but you and I know the quarter-pounder is where it’s really at.

So we made our own homemade version. A thicker beef patty, better cheese, toasted buns, and real grill flavour. This is our better-than-McDonald’s quarter-pounder, made fresh on the barbecue.

We use ground beef with a fat content of 20-25%. You could even use half-and-half if you like. In any case, do not use lean minced meat, as the fat gives a hamburger its flavour.

McDonald’s does not flavour their minced meat; you can taste it if you eat the burger separately. That is a missed opportunity. Of course, we want to keep tasting the minced meat, but with this spice mix, we get the hamburger taste we are looking for.

There is no salt in a spice mix for hamburgers. Salt would dissolve the proteins in the meat, allowing them to stick together and make for a tougher burger.

The quarter-pounder is originally a half American pound, and that is 113 grams. McDonald’s quarter-pounder is 120 grams, and we want a burger that is also a quarter-pound in Europe. That’s why we make these burgers from 150 grams of minced meat. After cooking, they will be approximately 125 grams

We shape the quarter-pounders in a hamburger press to give them the perfect shape. Then we put them individually on a baking paper sheet so they do not stick together.

After we have formed the burgers, we put them in the fridge. Due to the relatively high fat content in the minced meat, the hamburger is more likely to fall apart on the barbecue because the soft fat melts quickly. Allowing the fat to firm up in the fridge gives the burger time to form a crust and prevents it from breaking into pieces.

Hamburgers can be grilled on the grates, but the quarter-pounder must be on the griddle. Our Kamado Joe has a half cast-iron grill plate that fits into the divide-and-conquer system. Get the griddle hot before putting the burgers on. Now is the time to sprinkle the burgers with some salt. We use smoked sea salt to give the burgers an extra barbecue flavour.

How do you get a nice toasted hamburger bun

The trick is to spread your sandwich with a bit of mayonnaise. The oil in the mayonnaise provides the golden brown crust. You can also brush the bread with sunflower or olive oil, but it would soak in much too quickly. Mayonnaise is thick enough to stay on the bread without running off.

Do not spread too much mayonnaise on the bread. A thin layer is really enough. That thick layer only ensures that the bread gets wet, and then it takes too long before you have a nice toasted side.

Now put the bread on the grates for a short while to get some excellent grill marks. If you want to provide the entire bun with a golden-yellow layer, place them next to the burgers on the grill plate.

When do we flip the burgers

On the side of the burgers, you can clearly see when a crust has formed on the bottom. You can also see the brown colour slowly creeping up. You can flip the burger when the meat stops sticking to the griddle. Then you wait again until a crust has formed. When the burger’s core temperature reaches 60ºC (140F), the slice of cheese is added. Only if you want a cheeseburger, of course.

We prefer to use a nice slice of aged Gouda cheese. It may take a little longer to melt, but the result is much tastier than the American cheddar.

This is our better quarter-pounder, dressed up with some sweet pickle relish. If you like tomato and onion, you should do that too. If you will make this quarter-pounder too, let us know in the comments below. Or better! Please take a photo and post it on Instagram. Tag @bbqhelden and @kamadojoe so we can see what you made.