The A&W Teen burger is a true work of art. Crispy, juicy beef topped with melty cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. In this post, I'll show you how to make my copycat A&W Teen burger recipe with all the fixings, including A&W Teen sauce and A&W seasoning salt.
Can't get enough of A&W? Try my Buddy Burger Recipe and A&W Onion Rings Recipe next!
Ask anyone in Canada about their favorite fast-food burger, and they'll say the Teen burger at A&W. If they don't - they're lying - Or they work for Mcdonald's.
The Teen burger is the most delicious fast-food burger ever made. Period. This is my copycat recipe, and I believe it tastes even better than the original.
Jump to:
๐ Dissecting the burger
The beauty of replicating your favorite burgers at home is that it's REALLY easy. Burgers are already deconstructed. Just lift off each ingredient, and you basically have the recipe.
So I bought a Teen burger, and this is each ingredient from bottom to top:
- Bottom bun
- Yellow mustard
- Ketchup
- Dill Pickles
- Onions
- Beef Patty
- A&W seasoning salt
- Cheddar cheese
- Bacon
- Tomato
- Iceberg lettuce
- Mayonnaise
- Top bun
Yes, there is no magical Teen sauce - it's just mustard, ketchup, and mayo. The A&W burger ingredients are all basic and available at any major grocery store. Having said that, it's important to buy the right ingredients to deliver the best copycat Teen burger recipe.
๐ฅฉ The burger patty
The A&W Teen Burger is a classic smash burger, which means that the patty is smashed onto a hot griddle or skillet to create a crispy, caramelized exterior and juicy interior.
For my recipe, I use plain ground beef. It offers the most crumbly texture and crisps up nicely using a smash burger press.
Make sure you use beef with at least 20% fat. This is usually labeled as "Regular ground beef" in grocery stores. Try to avoid lean or extra-lean, as you really need the extra fat for the burgers to taste juicy.
๐ The buns
After many sandwich attempts, I've discovered Dempster's white hamburger buns to be the closest match. They're soft, fluffy, and just like the ones at A&W.
I buy them in bulk at Costco for less than $6 for 18 buns. Here's a picture of the kind I use:
After many sandwich attempts, I've discovered Dempster's white hamburger buns to be the closest match. I buy them in bulk at Costco for less than $6 for 18 buns.
๐ณ The sauce
Unlike Mozza burgers, there is no secret sauce. A&W Teen sauce is just individual layers of mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
I think the brand of the condiments is what matters the most.
For the ketchup and mustard, use a popular brand like Heinz. Make sure you use classic yellow mustard instead of Dijon.
For the mayonnaise, I'm almost certain they use Hellmann's. I saw the employees unloading boxes once, and they had many giant boxes for it.
Use a 2-1-2 ratio of ketchup, mustard, and mayoย for the best results.
๐ง The seasoning
My recipe only uses salt and black pepper for the A&W burger seasoning. In my opinion, it needs nothing else! What makes my A&W Teen burger recipe so delicious is the ratio of condiments and contrasting textures from the various ingredients, not the seasoning.
I've served my copycat recipe to many different groups, and most of them agree it tastes the same or better than A&W. But, if you really want A&W seasoning salt, I've added a quick recipe in the recipe card and instructions below.
But I recommend starting with just black pepper and salt - you'll be amazed at how much flavor they add!
๐ฅ The bacon
Along with the beef patty and iceberg lettuce, bacon provides a layer of crunchiness to my copycat recipe.
Teen burgers contain one slice of crispy bacon cut in half. I like my bacon EXTRA crispy, so I cook my bacon for at least 10 minutes on a nonstick pan until all the fat is rendered out.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: To make the burger seasoning, combine paprika, black pepper, salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cayenne pepper in a small bowl and mix. This is totally optional; you can just use salt and pepper to season the burgers
STEP 2: Prepare vegetable toppings:
- Slice the dill pickles into โ -inch slices and transfer to a small bowl.
- Cut onions into 1/16-inch dice and transfer to a small bowl.
- Wash and tear your iceberg lettuce into burger-sized pieces. The best parts of the lettuce are the white and light-green sections near the base of each leaf. They offer a terrific crunch.
- Slice tomatoes into โ -inch rounds. Beefsteak tomatoes are the best for sandwiches and burgers.
STEP 3: Place bacon in a single layer on a large nonstick pan. Cook them for 10 minutes on medium heat, flipping every 1 minute, until they're crispy and their fat has mostly rendered out. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
STEP 4: Divide ground beef into 4 balls (about ยฝ cup or 175g each). They should be about the size of a tennis ball. Set aside.
STEP 5: Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it's smoking. Place a beef ball in the center of the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and press down with a burger press to form a patty about ยพ-inch thick.
Let the burger cook for 2-3 minutes undisturbed. During this time, the bottom will get browned and crispy.
STEP 6: After 2-3 minutes, flip the patty and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Ensure the center of the patty reaches 165ยฐF (74ยฐC) to kill off any harmful bacteria.
STEP 7: Season the patties with A&W seasoning or salt and black pepper, place a slice of cheddar cheese on top, and add two pieces of crispy bacon.
STEP 8: Toast 4 hamburger buns in a toaster or toaster oven.
For the bottom bun: Spread 1 ยฝ teaspoons of yellow mustard. Then, spread 1 tablespoon of ketchup. Finally, add two slices of dill pickles and 2 teaspoons of minced onions.
For the top bun: Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Then, add 2-3 pieces of iceberg lettuce and 1 slice of tomato.
You should end up with three components that comprise the whole burger. Place the patty on the bottom bun, and then place the top bun on top. Repeat with the remaining burgers, and enjoy!
๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ Variations
The Teen Burger is actually the most complex burger of all the "family burgers." Unlike the other burgers, it has cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon. To make the other "family burgers," you simply remove those ingredients and add extra patties.
For example, to make a:
- A&W Mama burger: Remove the cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes.
- A&W Papa burger: Make a Mama burger and then add an extra patty.
- A&W Grandpa burger: Make a Papa burger and add an extra patty.
๐ Recipe
A&W Teen Burger (Copycat)
Ingredients
- 4 Dempster's white hamburger buns
- 700 g ground beef
Toppings
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 slices bacon (sliced in half cross-wise)
- ยฝ onion (minced)
- ยฝ head iceberg lettuce
- 1 beefsteak tomato (sliced into โ -inch slices)
- dill pickles (sliced into โ -inch slices)
Condiments
A&W burger seasoning
- ยผ teaspoon paprika
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ยผ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ยฝ teaspoon brown sugar
- ยผ teaspoon onion powder
- ยผ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยผ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
A&W Burger Seasoning
- Combine all A&W burger seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mix. Or, you can just use salt and pepper to season the burgers.
Bacon
- Place bacon in a single layer on a large nonstick pan. Cook them for 10 minutes on medium heat, flipping every 1 minute, until they're crispy and their fat has mostly rendered out. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Patties
- Divide ground beef into 4 balls (about ยฝ cup or 175g each).
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Place one beef ball in the center of the pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and press down with a burger press to form a patty about ยพ-inch thick. Let the burger cook for 2-3 minutes undisturbed.
- Flip the burger and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Ensure the center of the burger reaches 165ยฐF (74ยฐC) to kill off any harmful bacteria. Repeat with the remaining patties.
Assembling
- Toast 4 hamburger buns in a toaster or oven.
- Season the patties with A&W seasoning or salt and black pepper. For each patty, place a slice of cheddar cheese on top, and add two pieces of crispy bacon.
- For the bottom bun:Spread 1 ยฝ teaspoons of yellow mustard. Then, spread 1 tablespoon of ketchup. Add two slices of dill pickles and 2 teaspoons of minced onions.
- For the top bun:Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Then, add 2-3 pieces of iceberg lettuce and 1 slice of tomato.
- Place the burger patty on the bottom bun, and then place the top bun on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use Dempster's hamburger buns. A lot of people underestimate how important it is. It's the closest copycat to A&W.
- Use yellow mustard; not dijon.
- Use a western brand of mayonnaise such as Hellman's, Kraft, or Miracle Whip.
- Use a 2-1-2 ratio of ketchup, mustard, and mayo for the best results.
STEVE VANDERVEEN
that's funny but so true. They are the best. not cheap. I'm gonna try and replicate some this afternoon.
Charlotte
Absolutely loved making these burgs. Super easy and just like A&W. ๐
Scotty J
Making this tonight. After a month holiday in Canada this Winter I am now suffering withdrawals having just arrived back in New Zealand. Will let you know my verdict.
Rick
The buns in Western Canada are from McGavin's (CanadaBread) and are available in a McGavin's bag. Hellmans mayonnaise is used on Uncle Burgers and Chicken Sandwiches. In the 80's, before A&W branding, Kraft Salad Bar was purchased. It's the same today with different packaging.
Shepherd
The teen sauce is actual more of a miracle whip type mayonnaise, hellmanns mayonnaise is used for their cubby chicken. You can replicate miracle whip but adding a bit of vinegar, sugar and paprika to your hellmanns mayo (worked at A&W for 7 years).
Jerome Couette
I used to work at A&W and your recipe is spot on ! This is my favorite and I love to make it at home too ๐