There's always an air of mystery surrounding special sauce, the creamy, tangy, pale-pink condiment that separates truly life-changing burgers from just pretty good ones. (Even more so when it's referred to as "secret" sauce.) But the realness is that there’s not really anything secret or special about it. Except how good it tastes. And how easy it is to make. That’s pretty special.
Every burger chain or home cook probably makes special sauce a little differently. But at the end of the day, special sauce is a condiment in the Russian and Thousand Island dressing family, based on the trifecta of mayo, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish.
This heavenly combination is a perfect four-way intersection of sweetness, acid, fat, and heat. Every flavor balances the other. Here’s how to make our (and your) version:
Start with ½ cup mayonnaise and mix in 3 Tbsp. ketchup, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, and 1 Tbsp. hot sauce, such as Tapatío, Cholula, or Crystal. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper, and then take a step back and bask in the golden (pinkish) glow of your creation.
Oh, you thought there was more to it than that? Nope. Like we said, special sauce isn’t that involved. But this is both the house and the foundation. The sauce is perfect the way it is, but you can also build upon it. Senior food editor Claire Saffitz says to can add lemon juice or a touch of white vinegar for a higher acidic profile. Add chopped chives, grated garlic, or finely minced shallots for a hit of sharpness. Smoked paprika or mashed up chipotle chiles in adobo are nice additions, too, if you're after a bit of smoke and spiciness.
Hell, you could even chop up some cornichons instead of using relish. Just make sure you add a bit off sugar to keep the sweetness there. Make it yours. Even Shake Shack adds chipotle Tabasco (instead of regular) to get some smoke with the heat.
Whatever you choose to add, special sauce is endlessly flexible. And you should appreciate that. You might think that since special sauce has been called “special” for so long, it’s developed an ego. It hasn’t. It’s as humble and as willing as the day it was born. And it will always be here for your burger.
