Smash Burger Tacos with Big Mac Sauce and Pickles

Lean ground beef is what I buy for these smash burger tacos, and I spread it edge to edge over 6-inch flour tortillas. The thin beef layer browns on one side while the tortilla cooks underneath, picking up the crisp edges I want instead of staying soft through the middle.

I stir the sauce in a small bowl before cooking, then leave it alone while I portion the beef (give the dry spices a good stir first). Mayonnaise, pickle relish, Dijon, vinegar, sugar, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder make it taste like familiar burger sauce. I notice the relish first.

Each beef portion needs to cover the whole tortilla from edge to edge, and I cook it meat-side down in a medium-high skillet with neutral oil, pressing with a spatula before flipping after the crust forms. The beef stays thin, even at the rim, and a griddle is the pan I grab when I want all four tacos cooking at once.

After the American cheese goes on, I cook until the tortilla is as crisp as I want without letting it char, then pile on shredded iceberg lettuce, diced onion, dill pickle chips, and sauce just before eating. The cold toppings sit against the hot patty, with sauce running into the folds.