Learn the Secrets of Matthew McConaughey’s Perfect Burger

Keep Austin weird, keep burgers tasty

"The Gentlemen" Screening and Q&A With Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey participates in a Q&A after a special screening of his new film "The Gentlemen" at Hogg Memorial Auditorium at The University of Texas at Austin.
Gary Miller/Getty Images

When he’s not talking politics or writing his memoir, Matthew McConaughey — like many people — enjoys a tasty burger. And that’s little surprise; after all, burgers are delicious. But it turns out that McConaughey looks for some very distinctive qualities within his burgers. Could adopting the award-winning actor’s favored methods of making burgers lead to a McConaissance of your own?

In a new article at People, Mary Honkus ventures into McConaughey’s take on burgers. This, in turn, comes from the actor’s recent appearance on America’s Test Kitchen, where he waxed ecstatic about burgers, toppings (McConaughey enjoys those on the spicier side of things) and the joy of cutting one’s burger in half.

What are some tips for making a burger the Matthew McConaughey way? Avoid low-fat beef, for one thing. And then it comes to the patty, McConaughey favors seasoning — specifically, adding onion soup to the ground beef used when making the patty. His ideal burger also includes two patties and two slices of American cheese.

When you get to McConaughey’s ideal toppings, it’s there that things turn especially interesting. People‘s article notes that his preferred toppings include pickled jalapenos and heat pickles, along with shredded lettuce, red onions and avocado — all served on a warm (but not toasted) white bread bun. All told, it sounds like a blend of the familiar and the unpredictable; not a bad description of both the burgers and the actor who adores them.

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