Here's your new favorite ground beef hot dish! Big Mac Casserole is made with browned ground beef in a sweet sauce that's topped with American cheese and mini tater tots. It's baked until hot and bubbly throughout and served with the delicious Big Mac "special sauce" we all know and love!
1/4cupdill pickle juicefrom a jar of dill pickles, aka dill pickle brine
2tsp.cornstarch
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
30oz.bag frozen mini or regular tater tots
8-10slicesAmerican cheese
2cupsshredded iceberg lettuce
1cupchopped dill pickles
1cupchopped green onions
Big Mac Burger Sauceto taste
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Place all the sauce ingredients into a bowl, stirring to combine; reserve in refrigeration until time to serve the Big Mac Casserole.
Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat, cooking until no pink remains; drain any excessive fats that accumulate.
Keeping 1-2 tablespoons of the fats in the skillet with the ground beef (for flavor!), add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Over medium heat, the combine ingredients with the ground beef, stirring until nicely combined and hot throughout. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake the pickle juice and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Pour the prepared slurry into the warm ground beef mixture, stirring well, until the sauce thickens and the mixture is glossy.
Spread the prepared Big Mac mixture in a 9”x13” greased casserole dish; layer the cheese slices in overlapping rows over the top; arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
Bake the Big Mac casserole, uncovered, on the center oven rack for about 40 minutes, or until the meat mixture bubbles up around the edges and the tots are golden brown and crispy on top. **Casserole should be 165 degrees F. at the center.
To serve, spoon helpings of the Big Mac Casserole into bowls, then top with lettuce, pickles, and onions; drizzle with the prepared Big Mac Burger Sauce, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy at once!