Dave's Single
intro
The iconic juicy square-patty cheeseburger from Wendy's, loaded with fresh toppings and melty American cheese, recreated for fast, delicious home cooking.
Ingredients
Steps
Divide the 680 grams of 80/20 ground beef into 4 equal 170-gram portions. Gently form each portion into a 10cm (4-inch) square patty that is 1cm thick, pressing a shallow 1cm dimple in the center of each patty to prevent bulging while cooking. Season both sides of each patty evenly with the 3 grams of kosher salt and 1 gram of ground black pepper, then set aside on a plate at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or flat griddle over medium heat (175°C / 350°F). Brush the cut sides of all 4 hamburger buns with the 15 grams of melted butter. Place buns cut-side down on the heated surface for 45-60 seconds until golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Transfer toasted buns to a clean plate and set aside.
Increase the griddle or skillet heat to medium-high (205°C / 400°F). Place the seasoned square patties on the hot surface, dimple-side up, and cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds without pressing or moving them, to develop a deep brown, crispy sear on the bottom.
Use a thin metal spatula to flip each patty in one smooth motion. Immediately place 1 slice of American cheese on top of each flipped patty, then cook for an additional 2 minutes for medium doneness (internal temperature 71°C / 160°F), which will fully melt the cheese over the patty surface.
Spread 11 ml (3/4 tablespoon) of mayonnaise evenly across the cut side of each bottom toasted bun. Layer 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and 10 grams of drained dill pickle slices on top of the mayo, followed by 15 grams of thinly sliced white onion per burger.
Use the spatula to transfer one cheese-topped cooked patty onto each stacked bottom bun. Spread 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of ketchup and 7.5 ml (1/2 tablespoon) of yellow mustard across the cut side of each top bun, then place the top bun on the patty to complete the burger. Serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.Never press down on the patties with a spatula while cooking, as this squeezes out the flavorful rendered fat and beef juices that keep the burger moist and rich.
3.Use 80/20 lean-to-fat ground beef for the most authentic flavor and texture; leaner beef blends will produce dry, bland patties even if cooked to the correct temperature.
OMG, this Dave's Single is SO good! I threw this together last night for our family cookout after work, took literally 15 minutes just like the recipe says, no fancy ingredients. My kids devoured theirs before I even finished assembling mine! Total game changer for weeknight dinners when I don't feel like slaving over the grill for an hour. Will be making this on repeat all summer.
I've been making copycat Wendy's Dave's Singles for years and this recipe is dead on. No weird complicated steps, no fancy secret sauce ingredients you can only find at a specialty grocery store. Tastes exactly like the real deal, if not better because you can make it fresh at home. 10/10.
Made these for our neighborhood potluck this past weekend and everyone was asking for the recipe! So easy to throw together, even when you're running around chasing toddlers and trying to get out the door on time. I added a little extra pickles on mine because I'm a pickle fiend, and it was chef's kiss.
Super solid recipe! Cook time was spot on, super easy to follow even for someone who burns toast half the time (read: me). Only thing I did different was use a turkey patty instead of beef because that's what I had in the fridge, and it still turned out delicious. Great base recipe to tweak to your own preferences.
Game changer for my Sunday meal prep! These cook so fast, I was able to make a whole week's worth of burgers in under 20 minutes total. I wrapped them individually in parchment paper and they've been perfect for quick lunches at the office. Only note: don't overwork the patty, keep it loose like the recipe says, that makes it so juicy!