The Big Boy double cheeseburger, deconstructed 

The "Big Boy" welcomed millions to this
classic family restaurant.

As a teenager, I often headed to Bob’s/Marc’s Big Boy for a double cheeseburger.  (I earned so little at the time, one burger could deplete my entire paycheck!)  Quite simply, it was a gastronomic dream!  It was a sloppy, dripping mess of deliciousness that could not be eaten safely without a pile of napkins nearby. 

After Big Boy disappeared from the landscape, many imitations appeared on the scene.  But none lived  up to the original.  For one, the special sauce was often replaced with thousand island dressing, a poor, less flavorful substitute. 

  

So I began to experiment, making  adjustments to enhance the flavor.  I figured if I was going to overindulge in this fat-laden delight, I'd bump up the flavor.  For the burgers, I used a more heavily seasoned meat mix.   I also toasted my buns with butter, and added more cheese. Finally, I topped each patty with butter.  

My mock Big Boy hamburger may be filled with some bad stuff, but it is well worth an occasional lapse in dietary judgment! 

Jane's mock Big Boy 2x cheeseburger

1 lb. hamburger mix or 8 thin hamburger patties

1/2 c. special sauce

4 sesame seed hamburger buns plus 4 halves, trimmed

8 leaves of lettuce

8 thin tomato slices

8 slices American cheese

Optional:  Grilled or pickled thin red onion slices, dill or sweet and sour pickle slices

Butter

Begin by preparing the recipes for the special sauce and the meat mix.  Set aside

Prepare the hamburger buns, buttering the four tops and bottoms.  Level off the additional buns so they are flat, and butter on both sides. These buns will go in the middle of double cheeseburger.  Brown on a griddle or in a large frying pan.  Set aside.  (Note:  Do not clean off the griddle!)

Prepare eight thin hamburger patties that are slightly larger in width than the buns. (The patties will shrink when cooked. ) The patties should be no more than 1/4 inch thick.  Lightly salt and pepper the patties, and fry them  on the same griddle used for the buns.  Cover with a pot lid.  Grill for  about two minutes on each side. Just before removing the patties from the griddle, top each with a thin slab of butter.  Keep warm on a plate covered with foil.

Spread the special sauce on the top side of the bottom buns, on both sides of the center bun, and on the bottom of the top bun.  Place a slice of cheese on top of the bottom and center buns.  Add lettuce and if desired, a slice of tomato, onions, and/or pickles.  Place a hamburger patty on top.  Add the top bun and enjoy! 

Jane's mock Big Boy 2x cheeseburger, deconstructed

The original!

1 lb. hamburger mix or 8 thin hamburger patties

>Fat alert:  Please see the notes for the hamburger mix recipe. 

1/2 c. special sauce

>Fat alert:  Please see the notes for the special sauce recipe.

4 sesame seed hamburger buns plus 4 halves, trimmed

>Health alert:  If white bread is a dietary concern, any gluten-free, whole wheat, or whole grain bun, bread, bagel or English muffin will do.  In the alternative, try lettuce or a corn tortilla, and make a wrap. 

8 leaves of lettuce

8 thin tomato slices

8 slices of American cheese

>Fat alert:  American cheese is very high in fat.  But reduced and low-fat varieties are available. Unfortunately, many taste like rubber!  Fortunately, more flavorful low-fat cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack, can be substituted.  In the alternative, try reducing the amount of cheese by using only half a slice, broken into pieces and spread on top of the patty, or by using a small amount of shredded cheese.  However, always check the labels of any cheese used carefully for increased levels of salt or other offensive ingredients.  In the alternative, the cheese may be eliminated.

Optional:  Grilled or pickled thin red onion slices, dill or sweet and sour pickle slices.

Butter

>Fat alert:  Butter is fat.  Period.  In this recipe it is used to enhance the flavor of the buns and the meat.  The butter can be eliminated.   The buns may be toasted in the oven or a toaster.  The burgers may be fried with a light touch of cooking spray, cooked under a broiler, or grilled. 

(Follow the instructions above.)

Jane's hamburger mix

½ lb. ground chuck

½ lb. ground turkey

½ lb. ground pork or sweet Italian sausage

2 TB. Worcestershire sauce

2 TB. Montreal steak seasoning

1 tsp. tomato powder

1 tsp.salt

1 tsp. mustard powder

With a fork, gently combine the ground meats and spread around the bottom and sides of a large bowl.  Mix all seasonings together in a separate bowl and sprinkle liberally on the meat.  Again using a fork, gently incorporate the seasonings.  Do not over mix!  Cover and refrigerate.  One hour prior to use, remove the meat from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before forming the burgers.

Jane's hamburger mix, deconstructed

½ lb. ground chuck

½ lb. ground turkey

½ lb. ground pork or sweet Italian sausage

>Fat alert:  Meats with a lower fat content may be substituted for the ground chuck and pork sausage.  You will have to experiment to determine what satisfies your palette. Try using a 93% lean ground turkey and turkey sausage.  Or mix in ground chicken Italian sausage. Some of the ground meat may be replaced with mashed beans, or grains, such as bulgar or quinoa.  Large portabella mushrooms or low-fat vegetarian alternatives can also serve as flavorful substitutes.  

>Ingredient alert:  Not all ground turkey or chicken is a healthy alternative to ground beef!  Check the labels carefully. If cutting fat, you are looking for a 93% lean ground meat. 

 >Ingredient alert:  Meats lower in fat dry out more quickly when cooked, and have to be watched carefully.  Try adding a few tablespoons of a healthy oil, a reduced-fat mayonnaise, or yogurt to the meat mix. Covering the patties while frying cooks the burgers with steam, and seals in the moisture. 

2 TB.  Worcestershire sauce

>Health alert:  Worcestershire sauce can contain MSG.  If this is a concern, read the label carefully.  In the alternative, the amount of Worcestershire sauce can be reduced, replaced with balsamic or red wine vinegar, or eliminated.  

2 TB. Montreal steak seasoning

1 tsp. tomato powder

>Ingredient alert:  I like tomato powder because it is dry and prevents  the meat from getting too wet. Tomato paste is the best substitute. 

1 tsp.salt

1 tsp. mustard powder

(Follow the instructions above.)

Jane's pepper and onion relish

2-4 Roma or paste tomatoes, roasted, skin and seeds removed

2 large red bell peppers, roasted, skin and seeds removed

2 large Vidalia onions, roasted

2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and seeds removed as desired. (The more seeds, the hotter the relish.)

½-1 c. sugar

½-1  c. white or white wine vinegar

2 tsp. Kosher salt

Chili pepper flakes to taste

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.  (If you have not made a pepper and onion relish before, start by adding only half of the vinegar and sugar, and taste after pulsing the vegetables before adding more.) Pulse until the vegetables are chopped, but not pureed.  Pour into a saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for about one hour.  Taste.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  (NOTE:  In a pinch, I will substitute Harry and David’s pepper and onion relish.)

Jane's pepper and onion relish, deconstructed

2-4 Roma or paste tomatoes, skinned and seeds removed

2 large red bell peppers, roasted, and skin and seeds removed

2 large Vidalia onions, roasted

2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and seeds removed as desired (The more seeds, the hotter the relish)

½ -1 c. sugar

>Health alert:  If sugar creates a dietary concern, it may be replaced with a sugar substitute.  However, it is best added to the mixture after the cooking process ends.  The sugar may also be reduced in this recipe. 

>Ingredient alert:  In this recipe, the sugar aids in thickening the relish.  If it is reduced or replaced, it may be necessary to add a thickening agent, such as corn starch or Agar Agar. 

½-1  c. white or white wine vinegar

2 tsp. Kosher salt

Chili pepper flakes to taste

(Follow the instructions above.)

Jane's special sauce

1/3 c. mayonnaise

1 ½ TB. pepper and onion relish

1 ½ TB. tomato sauce

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Refrigerate.  (NOTE:  In recent years, attempts to duplicate the Big Boy burger has resulted in replacement of the special sauce with thousand Island dressing.)

Jane's special sauce, deconstructed

1/3 c. mayonnaise

>Fat alert:  Mayonnaise contains fat.  Fortunately, low and no-fat versions are available. 

 >Health alert:  Reduced fat often translates into increased sugar and/or salt.  Read the labels of any replacement product carefully. 

1 ½ TB. pepper and onion relish

1 ½ TB. tomato sauce

>Health alert:  Store-bought tomato sauces can contain significant amounts of fat, sugar and/or salt.  Read the labels carefully and pick your poison! 

(Follow the instructions above.)