Quick Big Mac-Style Toast Made with Sandwich Bread

Add the seasonings and garlic directly to the pack of ground meat. This cuts down on washing up, and if you don't want to get your hands dirty, cover your hand with a cooking bag secured with a rubber band to use as a substitute for a disposable glove.

Knead lightly to distribute the seasonings evenly while also pressing the ground meat together. As the proteins bind, the juices are less likely to run out during cooking.

Spread the ground meat directly onto the bread. This method is adapted from Nagasaki's specialty hatoshi and the Thai dish khanom pang na moo, giving a cohesive result with the bread and making the work easier.

Allowing for shrinkage during cooking, spread the meat right to the edges of the bread, pressing lightly as you drag it, and even it out to a uniform thickness so the center doesn't end up thicker.

If the patty is too thick, steam from the meat will make the bread soggy as it cooks, so deliberately keep it slightly thin for easy cooking. About 45 g before cooking and about 30 g once cooked is the guideline.

Bring the sliced cheese to room temperature. Peeling off the film while it is still cold makes it come away cleanly.

Combine the Big Mac sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Wash the lettuce, pat it thoroughly dry, and tear it into bite-sized pieces.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, spread the oil over the whole surface, then cook meat side down. Cooking the meat first sets it firmly so it won't come away from the bread.

The pan temperature drops when you add the bread, so turn the heat to medium and cook until nicely browned and cooked through.

Once cooked, lightly wipe away any burnt bits for a cleaner look and add butter. Lower the heat and now cook bread side down. Bread absorbs butter readily, so move the pan gently and slide the bread around so the butter soaks in evenly.

Once nicely browned, lightly cook the meat side once more at the end to warm it through. Place the sliced cheese on the piping hot ground meat right away and the residual heat alone will melt it beautifully. Cut in half with a knife, add the lettuce, pour on plenty of Big Mac sauce, and sandwich it together to finish.