It’s challenging to find a delicious, saucy cheeseburger that isn’t loaded with synthetic ingredients like dyes, preservatives and fillers. I set out to create a burger that matched the distinct and mouth-watering flavor of a fast food burger, without all of the unhealthy extras. This recipe is inspired by the Ultimate Cheeseburger made by the fast food chain Jack in the Box, which usually consists of two burger patties, ketchup, onion-mayo sauce, mustard, swiss cheese and American cheese.
With a touch of creative freedom, I decided to make the sauce by mixing all of the flavor elements of ketchup, mustard, and onion-mayo into one delectable sauce using ingredients that are dye and preservative-free. Instead of using American cheese, I opted for a medium cheddar cheese to avoid using such a highly processed ingredient. To make the burgers, I seasoned some grass-fed ground beef with my simple burger seasoning blend so that the flavor of the sauce is the real star.
These burgers are surprisingly easy to make and are sure to impress your friends and family with both the bold and satisfying flavors and the health-conscious ingredients used.
How to Make The Ultimate Cheeseburger
Start by making your sauce so the flavors in it have time to meld together. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined, then set aside.
Next, make the burgers. Mix together all of the ingredients for the burger mixture in a large bowl until well combined (I usually use my hands for this part to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated together).
Separate the burger mix into four equal patties. Aim to shape your patties so that they’re a little bit wider (by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) than the buns you’re using to account for shrinkage while cooking.
Place a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add in the two tablespoons of high heat cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place your patties into the pan. They should sizzle!
Cook the patties 3-5 minutes on each side, adding a slice of each type of cheese to each patty after you flip them the first time. This should cook your burgers about medium to medium-well.
To assemble the burgers, start by (optionally) toasting the buns in the beef fat that’s still left in the pan, but be careful not to burn them! Then, spread the onion-mayo sauce on the bottom bun, stack either one or two burgers on top (depending on whether you’re aiming for a regular or double cheeseburger), then spread some of the sauce on the top bun and place it on top.
Enjoy your Ultimate Cheeseburger while it’s hot and fresh!
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the burger mix:
Ground beef – I like to use grass-fed beef whenever possible. For more information on that, click here. I like ground beef that has an 80/20 fat ratio
Egg – An egg is used to add fat, flavor, and moisture to the beef while also helping the patties stay together.
Bread crumbs – Bread crumbs add an extra tenderness to the burgers, but aren’t essential if you’d like to omit them. You can use any type of bread crumb, including panko, Italian-style, or crushed up crackers.
Onion powder – Onion powder is an easy way to add flavor to the burger meat. In a pinch, add about a tablespoon of very finely minced fresh onion to the meat mixture.
Garlic powder – Garlic powder is an easy way to add flavor to the burger meat. In a pinch, add about a clove or two of very finely minced fresh garlic to the meat mixture.
Celery seed – I find that celery seed is a good way to add that almost addictive flavor of fast food beef, which is often achieved with chemical flavor additives.
For the Onion-Mayo sauce:
Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise is the base of this sauce and gives it a creamy, luxurious texture. I like to use either homemade mayonnaise or a high quality avocado oil mayonnaise to avoid using inflammatory oils like canola or palm. For an even healthier alternative, try using Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise; just know that it won’t be quite as fatty and luxurious.
Mustard – I used a stone-ground Dijon mustard with only a few ingredients in it: water, mustard seeds, vinegar, and salt. The yellow mustard often used with fast food burgers typically contains various additives like food dyes, preservatives, or “natural flavors” (for more information on why I avoid natural flavors, click here).
Maple syrup – Maple syrup is one of my favorite healthy sweeteners. It’s loaded with healthy antioxidants, nutrients, and flavor. Honey and coconut sugar would work in place of the maple syrup for other slightly healthier alternatives to regular cane sugar, but cane sugar can also be used in a pinch.
Tomato paste – I used tomato paste to add rich tomato flavor to the sauce. Ketchup can be used, but the ketchup used with fast food burgers typically contains various additives like food dyes, preservatives, or “natural flavors” (for more information on why I avoid natural flavors, click here).
White wine vinegar – White wine vinegar gives a slight acidity to the sauce. Plain white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or even pickle juice would work as a replacement.
Onion powder – Onion powder is best for adding slightly sweet onion flavor because fresh onion or onion flakes may add a bit of a chunky, unpleasant texture to the sauce.
Smoked paprika powder – Smoked paprika powder adds a smoky depth of flavor to the sauce and helps to give it that tasty looking orange color.
Garlic powder – Garlic powder is best for adding garlic flavor because fresh garlic or dried minced garlic may add a bit of a chunky, unpleasant texture to the sauce.
Optional: Turmeric – I like to add a pinch of turmeric to balance out the tasty-looking orange color of the sauce.
Additional:
Medium Cheddar Cheese – The original Jack in the Box burger uses American cheese, but I prefer a less processed cheese like medium cheddar. However, the type of cheese you use is really up to you and your preference; the sauce and spices in this recipe are versatile and will taste good with just about any mild or medium flavored cheese.
Swiss Cheese – Swiss cheese is true to the original Jack in the Box burger, which has American cheese and swiss cheese layered on each patty. I think medium cheddar cheese and swiss cheese complement this Ultimate Cheeseburger best, but the sauce and spices in this recipe are versatile and will taste good with just about any mild or medium flavored cheese.
High heat cooking oil – My favorite high heat cooking oil for this recipe is avocado oil, but you could also use coconut oil or olive oil.
Hamburger buns – Any of your favorite bread or buns will work! My current favorite burger buns are Dave’s Killer Burger Buns which are organic (and super tasty).
Choosing Beef for your Cheeseburger
I always opt for grass fed (and finished) beef when I have the option for a few reasons.
Grass fed beef refers to beef that comes from cows that are raised on a diet of grass and forage rather than grain. This type of beef is typically higher in omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vitamin E than grain-fed beef. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of healthy fat that is essential for brain and heart health and CLA is a type of fat that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect cells from damage.
Additionally, grass fed beef is often produced in a more humane and environmentally sustainable way than grain-fed beef. Cows that are raised on a diet of grass are able to roam and graze freely, which can improve their overall well-being and reduce their stress levels.
Tips
- Be sure to make the sauce first so that it has time to meld together. In fact, you can make it up to 24 hours ahead of time and stick it in the fridge for even more flavor.
- Experiment with different types of cheeses to better suit your preference. Provolone, muenster, cheddar, Colby-Jack, Monterey-Jack, or gouda are all good alternatives; try to get it thinly-sliced so that it melts into the burger properly.
- Try using pickle juice or pickle relish (with the juice) in place of the white wine vinegar in the special sauce for a delicious twist (it’s reminiscent of McDonald’s Big Mac sauce).
- Switch up your burger with toppings like crispy or caramelized onions, pickles or crispy bacon. For an extra indulgent twist, pile on some mac and cheese or chili!
- A dash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce in the burger meat mixture adds a little extra depth of flavor. A teaspoon or two should do the trick.
Equipment
Large pan or cast iron skillet
Spatula
Optional:
Grill – Instead of using a pan or a cast iron skillet, grilling the burgers on a grill top is a great option and gives your burgers those sought after char marks.
“Natural Flavors”
According to the FDA, a natural flavoring is an essential oil or extract from a plant or animal source. While this might sound pretty good, synthetic chemicals can be added to these oils or extracts during their manufacturing. Listing “natural flavors” is essentially a sneaky way of adding virtually anything to our food without companies having to tell us what it is. It’s important to add that the word “natural” has no actual legal definition, and therefore has almost no meaning when listed on food.
It’s important to me to avoid buying groceries with “natural flavors” on the label because I generally try to avoid chemical additives in food; especially when I don’t know what they are.
Accompaniments for The Ultimate Cheeseburger
Fried Sides: Nothing makes a more classic side for a burger than some French fries, but onion rings, sweet potato fries or tater tots are also great options.
Roasted Vegetables: Roasted veggies like potatoes, corn on the cob or brussel sprouts make a hearty and nutritious side dish.
Pickles: The acidity of a pickle helps balance out the rich flavors of the burger.
Greens: Cooked greens like collard greens or a light, fresh salad would both make a nutritious side to go along with this burger recipe.
Toppings: For a little extra texture on your burger, try topping it with crispy or caramelized onions, pickles or crispy bacon. For an extra indulgent twist, pile on some mac and cheese or chili!
The Ultimate Cheeseburger
Ingredients
For the burger mix:
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 large Egg
- 1/8 cup Bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Celery seed
- 1 tsp Salt
For the Onion-Mayo sauce:
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Mustard
- 3 tsp Maple syrup
- 2 tsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika powder
- 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Optional (for color)
Additional:
- 2 tbsp High heat cooking oil
- 4 slices Thin-sliced medium cheddar
- 4 slices Thin-sliced Swiss cheese
- 4 Hamburger buns
Instructions
- Start by making your sauce so the flavors in it have time to meld together. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined, then set aside.
- Next, make the burgers. Mix together all of the ingredients for the burger mixture in a large bowl until well combined (I usually use my hands for this part to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated together).
- Separate the burger mix into four equal patties. Aim to shape your patties so that they're a little bit wider (by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) than the buns you're using to account for shrinkage while cooking.
- Place a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add in the two tablespoons of high heat cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place your patties into the pan. They should sizzle!
- Cook the patties 3-5 minutes on each side, adding a slice of each type of cheese to each patty after you flip them the first time. This should cook your burgers about medium to medium-well.
- To assemble the burgers, start by (optionally) toasting the buns in the beef fat that's still left in the pan, but be careful not to burn them! Then, spread the onion-mayo sauce on the bottom bun, stack either one or two burgers on top (depending on whether you're aiming for a regular or double cheeseburger), then spread some of the sauce on the top bun and place it on top.
- Enjoy your Ultimate Cheeseburgers while they're hot and fresh!
