This is a smash-burger patty stacked on an English muffin with bacon, a round egg, American cheese, and a maple-mustard mayo. It tastes like a fast-food breakfast sandwich but with crispier edges and better flavor. If you’re feeding a group on a weekend morning, this is the one to batch — the components are simple, they hold well in a warm oven, and everyone already knows they want one.
The technique that matters
Two things actually matter here. First, the smash: you need a screaming-hot cast iron or griddle and you need to press hard and fast within the first 10 seconds of the beef hitting the surface — that’s when the fat is still mobile and you get maximum contact for browning. Hesitate and you just squeeze out juice without the crust. Second, the ring mold for the egg. A wide-mouth mason jar lid works fine. Butter the inside of the ring, crack the egg in, and add a splash of water to the pan before covering — the steam sets the white without overcooking the yolk. Skip the egg in the mix — it makes the patty mushy. Keep the egg and the beef as separate components and cook them that way.
What can go wrong
- English muffin goes soggy before serving: Toast it cut-side down in the residual fat on the griddle until it’s genuinely golden, not just warm. A pale muffin collapses fast under the egg and bacon juices.
- Cheese doesn’t melt properly: American cheese melts from heat transfer, not from sitting. Put it on the patty immediately after the smash while the pan is still hot, then tent loosely with a metal bowl or pan lid for 30 seconds. If the pan has cooled, the cheese just sits there.
- Bacon curls and cooks unevenly: Start bacon in a cold pan and bring the heat up gradually. This renders the fat before the meat seizes. For a crowd, lay strips flat on a wire rack over a sheet pan and bake at 400°F — they come out flat and you can do a dozen strips at once.
- Egg white tears when you remove the ring: Run a thin spatula around the inside edge of the ring before lifting. If you yank the ring straight up, the white sticks and rips.
- Assembly falls apart mid-bite: Stack in this order — bottom muffin, mayo, patty with cheese, bacon, egg, top muffin with mayo. The cheese acts as a grip layer between the patty and bacon. Flipping that order makes everything slide.
Storage and reheating
Assembled sandwiches don’t store well — the muffin turns to mush within a couple of hours. Instead, store the components separately. Cooked patties and bacon keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Patties can be frozen for up to 2 months; wrap them individually so they don’t stick together. To reheat, put the patty in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side — the microwave works in a pinch but kills the crust. Reheat bacon in the same pan for 30 seconds. Cook fresh eggs to order; they take 3 minutes and reheated eggs are never worth it. Ground beef must reach 160°F internal before serving, so if you’re reheating from cold, use a thermometer rather than guessing by color.
McDonalds-Style Bacon and Egg McMuffin Burger
Ingredients
For the Maple-Mustard Mayo:
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise full-fat for best texture and flavor
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard smooth style; I like Maille or Edmond Fallot
- 1 tsp yellow mustard classic diner tang; optional but recommended
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup grade A amber for balanced sweetness
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar adds lift and brightness
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika optional, for a whisper of smokiness
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper fine grind for a silky sauce
For the Burger & Assembly:
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon choose meaty slices for crisp edges and chew
- 2 whole English muffins split; look for ones with a craggy interior (nooks and crannies)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened, for toasting the muffins
- 7 oz 80/20 ground beef divide into two 3.5 oz portions; fresh ground if possible
- ½ tsp kosher salt divided; to season the patties and eggs
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper divided; to season the patties and eggs
- 2 slices American cheese classic melt; choose deli-style for clean melt
- 2 large eggs fresh, free-range if possible for richer flavor
- 2 tbsp water for steaming the eggs in ring molds
- 1 tsp neutral oil or nonstick spray as needed for skillet and ring molds
Instructions
- Preheat and Set Up (3–5 minutes): Place a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 350°F (175°C). Set a second skillet (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high heat, about 400°F (205°C), for the burger patties. Warm 2–3 inch ring molds on the griddle to help eggs release cleanly.
- Whisk the Maple-mustard Mayo (3 minutes): In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, yellow mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and black pepper until smooth and glossy. Taste—the balance should be creamy, tangy, lightly sweet, and gently smoky.
- Crisp the Bacon (8–10 minutes): Lay the bacon on the medium griddle. Cook, turning occasionally, until edges are deeply browned and the aroma turns nutty and smoky, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Tip: For ultra-even results, you can bake the bacon on a rack at 400°F (205°C) for 12–15 minutes.
- Toast the Muffins (2–3 minutes): Split the English muffins and lightly butter the cut sides. Toast cut-side down on the griddle until the crumb is golden with crisp edges, 2–3 minutes. Set the tops and bottoms aside, keeping them warm.
- Smash and Sear the Patties (4–5 minutes): Divide the ground beef into two 3.5 oz portions and gently form loose balls. Lightly oil the hotter skillet. Place the balls in the pan and press firmly with a spatula (or a flat press) to about 3–3.25 inches in diameter. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Cook until the edges are browned and you hear a steady sizzle, about 2–3 minutes. Flip, top each with a slice of American cheese, and cook 1–2 minutes more until the cheese is fully melted. For food safety, cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) if desired.
- Cook Round Eggs (2–3 minutes): Lightly oil the warmed ring molds on the griddle. Crack one egg into a small cup, then pour into a ring. Repeat with the second egg. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp water to the pan and cover to steam. Cook 2–3 minutes until whites are set and the yolk is slightly jammy; go 30–60 seconds longer for a firmer yolk. Alternative: Soft-scramble the eggs gently over medium-low heat (300°F/150°C) for a plush texture, if you prefer.
- Assemble (1–2 minutes): Spread a thin layer of maple-mustard mayo on the cut sides of the muffin tops (and bottoms if you like it saucy). On each muffin bottom, stack: cheese-topped beef patty, two slices of crisp bacon, then the round egg. Crown with the muffin top. Press lightly to set the layers.
- Rest and Serve (1 minute): Let the sandwiches rest 1 minute so the cheese settles and the muffin absorbs flavorful juices. The muffin should feel warm and crisp at the edges, the bacon crackly, and the aroma buttery, meaty, and gently sweet.
Notes
Chef’s Tips:
- Ring Molds: Lightly preheating and oiling the molds helps eggs release cleanly. No ring? Use a clean, well-oiled mason jar ring, or gently corral the egg white with a spatula as it sets.
- Faster Bacon: Start bacon in a cold pan so fat renders gradually; press with another pan for even contact to speed crisping.
- Beef: 80/20 is ideal for juiciness. If using leaner beef, add a touch of neutral oil to the pan and avoid overcooking.
- Cheese Swaps: American is classic. For a gourmet edge, try mild cheddar or white American; slice thin for optimal melt.
- Sauce Tweaks: Add a pinch of garlic powder for savory depth or a drop of hot sauce for heat.
- Egg Doneness: For a true McMuffin-style set yolk, gently pierce the yolk once before steaming to prevent a runny center.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I cook the patties ahead of time for a big group?
Yes — smash the patties, cook them to 160°F internal, and hold them on a wire rack in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. Any longer and they dry out. Add the cheese while they’re still hot from the pan so it melts before they go into the oven.
What’s the best way to keep the eggs warm if I’m making multiple sandwiches?
Cook the eggs in batches and slide them onto a parchment-lined sheet pan in a 200°F oven. They hold for about 15 minutes without the yolk overcooking. Beyond that, the whites get rubbery.
Can I use a different ground beef blend, like 90/10?
You can, but the patty will be noticeably drier and the crust won’t brown as well. 80/20 is the right call for a smash patty this thin — there’s not enough mass to stay juicy on leaner beef at high heat.
Do I need a ring mold, or is there a workaround?
A wide-mouth mason jar lid, a small biscuit cutter, or even a cleaned tuna can with both ends removed all work. The ring just needs to be roughly the diameter of the muffin and heat-safe — that’s the only real requirement.
If you liked this one
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