Takeout Theory45 min · Easy
Crispy Chicken Bao-Style Buns
Golden panko chicken tucked into warm steamed buns with quick-pickled cucumber and a little sriracha mayo. Frozen folded bao buns keep this takeout-style dinner practical at home.
Smash Burger Loaded Fries
Crisp fries. Beefy edges. Proper burger sauce. Golden oven fries piled with crisp-edged smashed beef, melted cheddar, crunchy pickles and a tangy burger sauce. Bake the fries while you cook the beef, then bring the tray straight to the table.
40 minApprox. time
EasyEffort
4 portionsMakes
Everything you need
Ingredients
Batch size
Choose a batch size above. Portion to your appetite.
Fries and beef
Sauce and finish
Milk, egg and mustard. Check fries and sauce labels for wheat or other allergens.
Let’s cook
Make it tonight.
Bake the fries
Heat the oven to the temperature on the fries packet, usually 220°C / 425°F. Spread fries on one or two large trays in a single layer. Bake for the packet time, usually 25–30 minutes, turning halfway, until deeply golden and crisp.Mix the sauce
Stir mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and pickle brine together. Chop pickles and onion on a clean board. Divide the beef loosely into eight balls; combine salt, pepper and garlic powder separately.Smash and brown
Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until hot; wipe with the oil. Cook two or three beef balls at a time. Press each firmly into a thin patty with a sturdy spatula, season, then leave undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to brown. Scrape under the crust, flip and cook 1–2 minutes more, until fully cooked to 71°C / 160°F. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat; break into bite-size pieces.Load and melt
Pile hot fries onto one ovenproof tray. Scatter over beef and cheddar. Return to the hot oven for 2–3 minutes until cheese melts. Add pickles and onion, drizzle with burger sauce and serve immediately.
Make it yours.
Keep the fries crisp
Spread them out while baking and add sauce only just before eating. Serve extra sauce at the table.
Make it milder
Use less raw onion, or rinse diced onion in cold water and drain well.
Switch the cheese
Use Monterey Jack in the same quantity for a gentler flavour.
Leftovers
Refrigerate beef and fries within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Keep sauce cold and separate. Reheat beef to 74°C and fries in a hot oven; add fresh toppings after reheating.
Equipment
Large oven trays, heavy frying pan, sturdy metal spatula, small bowl, knife, chopping board and instant-read thermometer..
A note on the nutrition
The recipe, in pictures.
Your next craving
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Takeout Theory40 min · Easy
Cheesy Garlic Butter Steak Quesadillas
Thinly sliced steak tossed through garlic-parsley butter and folded into flour tortillas with cheddar and mozzarella. Toast gently so the cheese melts before the outside gets too dark, then cut into crisp wedges.