Ralph Lauren Ranch Burger

Ralph Lauren's signature burger. At his New York City restaurant, they use a mix of chuck, brisket, and short rib. If you have an awesome butcher, ask him or her to give you a blend, but you'll get great results with chuck alone.

Ralph's Special Sauce:
½ cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
⅓ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. sweet relish
1 Tbsp. cornichons, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. hot sauce
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Burgers:
3 lbs ground beef chuck (20% fat)
sea salt
8 oz clothbound cheddar, such as Cabot, thinly sliced
8 sesame buns, toasted
16 slices bacon, cooked

To Serve:
green leaf lettuce
sliced tomato
sliced red onion
sliced pickles

Make Ralph's Special Sauce:
Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, cornichons, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and hot sauce in a small bowl; season sauce with salt and pepper.

Make Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Make the Burgers:
Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Divide beef into 8 portions (about 6 oz each). Working with 1 portion at a time, cup your hands around the meat and begin to gently shape it into a round patty, being careful not to pack the meat too tightly. Lightly press down on patty to flatten, then press a slight indentation into the center with your thumb (this will prevent patties from bulging when cooked).

Generously season both sides of patties with salt and grill 5 minutes. Turn and top with cheese. Cover grill and cook until cheese is melted and patties are medium-rare, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes.

Build burgers with buns, patties, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and special sauce.

Makes 8 servings.