Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
Get ready for a flavor-packed journey with the Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos. This ingenious combination brings together the best of both worlds – juicy seasoned beef patties, melted cheese, tangy pickles, and a special sauce – all wrapped up in warm tortillas. Prepare to have your taste buds blown away by this delicious fusion of classic favorites.
Why This Recipe Works
- Two favorites in one: When you can combine a smash burger with a taco all in one meal it makes everyone happy.
- Smash technique: Flattening the ground beef balls onto the tortillas and cooking them in a skillet creates a beautifully caramelized crust.
Ingredients
- Big Mac-Style Sauce: The combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, mustard, vinegar, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder results in a well-balanced and zesty sauce that replicates the iconic Big Mac flavor.
- Ground Beef: Choosing ground beef with lower fat content (85/15 or 90/10) ensures a juicy and flavorful taco patty without extra grease.
- Flour Tortillas: Opting for small-sized flour tortillas, such as street taco or mini tortillas, allows for easy handling and provides a soft and pliable base.
- Toppings: Shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce, sliced pickles, and chopped onions provide refreshing crunch, tangy bites, and added texture to the tacos.
How to Make Smash Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 200℉ and place a baking sheet inside to preheat as well.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the Big Mac Sauce. Refrigerate the sauce to allow the flavors to meld.
- Divide the ground beef into 12 equal-sized portions and shape them into balls.
- Arrange the tortillas on a work surface and place a ground beef ball in the center of each tortilla. Flatten the balls using a metal turner, spreading the beef to the edges of the tortillas. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of canola oil. Add 3 to 4 taco patties, beef side down, and cook until they develop a golden brown crust.
- Flip the patties, top each with a slice of American cheese, and cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese.
- Drizzle the Big Mac sauce on top of the smash burger taco. Garnish with lettuce, onions, and pickles.
Alternatively, you can serve the garnishes and sauce separately and allow everyone to customize their tacos according to their preferences.
Cooks Tips
- Ensure the skillet is properly heated and the oil is shimmering before adding the taco patties to achieve a desirable golden crust.
- Press down firmly when flattening the ground beef balls onto the tortillas to create an even surface and consistent cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet to allow proper browning and melting of the cheese. Cook in batches for the best results.
- In between batches of cooking the smash burger tacos, transfer the cooked taco patties to a preheated baking sheet in the oven to keep them warm. Then, repeat the cooking process with the remaining taco patties.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sauce Variations: If you prefer a spicier kick, substitute the sweet pickle relish with diced jalapeños or add a dash of hot sauce to the sauce mixture.
- Cheese Options: While American cheese is traditionally used in Big Macs, you can experiment with different cheeses based on your preferences. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby are great alternatives.
- Serving Size: This recipe can be readily halved or quartered. It is simpler to just make the same amount of sauce and refrigerate any leftovers. After that, reduce the quantities by half or more for the smash taco.
Storing
Smash tacos do not store well. If you do need to refrigerate them, place them in an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper. Refrigerate up to 3 days. To reheat, put them on a backing sheet and reheat in a 300℉ oven. Cover with foil and heat for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
A better choice is to make the sauce ahead of time. The patties can be made formed ahead of time. Separate them with parchment paper and refrigerate in an airtight. Both of these can be refrigerated in an airtigh container for 3 to 5 days.
Can I use corn tortillas or do flour tortillas work better for Big Mac smash burger tacos?
Flour tortillas work better for this recipe. They are softer, easier to press with the beef, and hold together better in the skillet. Small street taco or mini flour tortillas are the best fit.
What kind of ground beef is best for Big Mac smash burger tacos?
Ground beef that is 85/15 or 90/10 works well for this recipe. It gives you enough fat for flavor and browning without making the tortillas overly greasy. That helps the tacos stay crisp instead of soft.
What sauce goes on Big Mac smash burger tacos?
A Big Mac-style sauce made with mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, mustard, vinegar, and seasonings is the classic choice. It gives the tacos the tangy, creamy burger flavor that makes this version taste different from a regular smash taco.
How do I keep smash burger tacos crispy?
Use a properly heated skillet, cook the tacos beef-side down first, and do not crowd the pan. Press the beef evenly to the edges, then cook in batches if needed. That helps the beef brown well and keeps the tortillas from steaming.
Can I make Big Mac smash burger tacos ahead of time?
You can make the sauce ahead and form the beef portions ahead, but the tacos are best cooked fresh. That gives you the best texture, with browned beef, melted cheese, and crisp tortillas. Your post notes that the sauce can be refrigerated ahead, and the patties can be formed ahead as well.
How do I store and reheat leftover smash burger tacos?
These tacos are best fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven, covered with foil, until warmed through. An oven or skillet keeps the texture better than a microwave.
Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
Get ready for a flavor-packed journey with the Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos. Imagine juicy beef patties seasoned to perfection, nestled in warm tortillas, layered with gooey melted cheese, tangy pickles, and a special sauce that brings all the flavors together.
Ingredients
Big Mac Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Smash Tacos
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15 or 90/10
- 12 flour tortillas street taco size or mini taco
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 12 slices American cheese
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded lettuce Iceberg or Romaine
- 12 slices pickles
- ¼ onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200℉. Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
Big Mac Sauce
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise ketchup, sweet relish, mustard, vinegar, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cover and place in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.
Smash Tacos
- Divide the ground beef into 12 equal sized, ball shaped portions.
- Arrange the tortillas on a work surface without overlapping. Add a hamburger ball to the center of a tortilla. Using a metal turner, flatten the hamburger ball out to the edges of the tortilla. Repeat with all remaining tortillas and balls. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a small drizzle of oil, swirling to spread it out, and heat until shimmering. Add 3 to 4 tacos to the skillet without overlapping, beef side down. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the beef has a nice golden brown crust. Reduce the heat to medium-low and flip the taco patties over.
- Top the cooked patties with a slice of cheese, then cover with a lid. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and the taco are lightly charred and crispy. then cover with a lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the tortillas are gold and crisp.
- Transfer the patties to the preheated baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Finish cooking the remaining burger tacos.
- Serve the big mac tacos garnished with pickles, lettuce and diced onions. Alternatively, you can serve the garnishes at the table and let everyone add what they like.
Cooks Tips
Each burger patty will be about 1.3 ounces.
Nutrition
Calories: 647kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 3840mgPotassium: 841mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1464IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 723mgIron: 5mg
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Such a fun meal
This sounds like an exciting new take on two classic favorites! The combination of Big Mac flavors within a taco is truly innovative and mouthwatering. I can already imagine the burst of flavors from the juicy patties, melted cheese, and tangy pickles. Serving the garnishes separately is a great idea for personalization. Would you recommend a specific type of tortilla to enhance this dish?