Ingredients:
3 ounces 96% lean ground beef (about 1/3 cup)
2 pinches of salt
1 sesame seed hamburger bun + 1 bun bottom
1 slice (1 2 ounce) 2% milk yellow American cheese
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (see below)
1 teaspoon finely chopped white onion
1 3 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
2 rounds dill pickle

Divide the beef in half. On a sheet of waxed paper, shape each half into a 4" patty. Season both sides with salt. Transfer the waxed paper to a plate. Place, uncovered, in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water sizzle when splashed on the pan. Place the patties in the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, place the bun top and bottoms, cut-sides down, in the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, or until toasted. (If the pan is not large enough to hold the patties and the buns, first cook 1 patty with the bottom bun and then start assembling the sandwich while the others cook.) Just before the patties are cooked, place the cheese on 1 patty.

Place 1 bun bottom on a plate. Spread on 1 tablespoon sauce. Place the cheeseburger, cheese-side down, on the bun. Spread 1 teaspoon sauce on the second bun bottom and place, sauce-side down, on the cheeseburger. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sauce, the onion, lettuce, pickles, the remaining burger, and the bun top.

Makes 1 serving: 386 calories, 26 g protein, 44 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber

Original McDonald's Big Mac: 560 calories, 25 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates,30 g fat, 10 g sat. fat, 3 g fiber

Devin Says: It's easy to throw together a Big Mac–like burger in minutes once you have the sauce made. So to save time, make a big batch of the sauce, omitting the onions (they are the only ingredient that will spoil quickly). Refrigerate the sauce in a plastic container for up to 1 month. When you're ready to enjoy a burger, simply add the correct quantity of onion to the amount of sauce you're using.

Devin Says: Save time and calories by omitting the second bun bottom and simply making 1 patty instead of 2 with the 3 ounces of beef. This way, you'll need only 11/2 tablespoons of sauce. You'll be left with a more nutritionally balanced burger. Plus, you'll still have room for some fries or a side salad, all the while still enjoying that great Big Mac flavor … in minutes. The revised version will have 310 calories, 24 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, and 1 g fiber. You'll save 250 calories, 21 g fat, and 9 g sat. fat over the original.

McDonald's Big Mac Sauce
Ingredients:
1 3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dill pickle relish
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon finely chopped white onion

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, sugar, and mustard. Stir to blend well. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Stir in the onion just before serving.

Makes about 2 3 cup, enough for 4 servings

Each serving: 49 calories, trace protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, trace sat. fat, trace fiber