Ready or not, fall is coming, and with it brings more easy, weeknight-friendly recipes like my Crock Pot Cheeseburger Fries with Special Sauce. Say goodbye to boring burgers and fries (and the drive-thru!) and hello to this ridiculously tasty mash up!
Crock Pot Ground Beef
These loaded fries highlight my homemade Crock Pot Maid Rites recipe, which is a famous Iowa dish of browned ground meat served on a bun topped with cold ketchup and dill pickles.
Instead of trying to convince you to serve your family sauceless ground beef on a bun (I swear it’s delicious!) I used it to top crispy french fries then bury them with melted cheese and burger-friendly toppings including fresh tomatoes, minced onion, and homemade special sauce. YES!!
If your family likes cheeseburgers, they’re going to love this fun take on the classic. Just bake frozen french fries then top with the crock pot-cooked ground beef and freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and then broil for a couple minutes. So simple, and you can serve the meal right on the sheet pan the fries are cooked on so clean up is minimal.
You’ll have leftover cooked ground beef which is a wonderful thing because the meat is so, so versatile. Make the aforementioned Maid Rites, add to marinara sauce, roll into enchiladas or tacos, freeze for another day, or add to soups.
Let’s do this!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by cooking the beef topping. In a 6 quart crock pot combine ground beef, chopped onion, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce (I like Lea & Perrins) and gluten free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce), plus lots of salt and pepper. Place a lid on top then cook on high for 4 hours, breaking the meat up 3 times with a spatula as it cooks. Feel free to cook the meat on a weekend then use all week – it keeps really well in its cooking juices in the fridge.
By the way, I wouldn’t go any lower in fat than 85/15 as the extra fat in the beef renders the meat super, super tender and luscious. 80/20 would work great too!
Once the beef is cooked bake frozen french fries in any cut (I used spiral cut – whee!) according to package directions then generously sprinkle with homemade gluten-free seasoned salt while they’re hot from the oven. This makes such a difference taste-wise – so yummy! You could also make your own french fries using regular potatoes and the method shown in this post.
Drain some of the meat then sprinkle over the top of the french fries, followed by freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and then broil until the cheese has melted, 1-2 minutes. I transferred the fries over to a cast iron skillet for presentation purposes, but you could definitely just leave them on the sheet pan.
Meanwhile, whip up the Special Sauce that gets drizzled on top and served on the side for dunking. It gets better as it sits too, so feel free to make 2-3 days ahead of time.
In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, ketchup, finely minced dill pickles, finely minced white onion, white wine vinegar, and white sugar.
Top the cheeseburger fries with special sauce, chopped tomatoes, and finely minced white onion then go. To. TOWN! If you love pickles on your cheeseburgers, feel free to chop a few up to toss on top – a drizzle of ketchup or mustard wouldn’t be out of place either. However you serve them, enjoy!
More Burger Inspired Favorites:
- How to Bake Burgers in the Oven
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Big Mac Salad
- Mini Bacon Cheeseburger Quinoa Bites
- Homemade Brat Burgers
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Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries with Special Sauce
Description
Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries with Special Sauce is a reimagined, totally tasty take on classic burgers and fries!
Ingredients
- 2lbs 85/15 or 80/20 ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup gluten-free beef broth
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free worcestershire sauce (I like Lea & Perrins)
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
- salt and pepper
- 1-1/2lbs gluten-free french fries, any cut
- homemade gluten-free seasoned salt (optional)
- 6oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
- finely minced white onion
- For the Special Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced dill pickles
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced white onion
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
Directions
- Add the first eight ingredients (ground beef through salt and pepper) to a 6 quart crock pot then cook on high for 4 hours, breaking the meat up/stirring three times.
- Bake french fries on a large baking sheet according to package directions then season with homemade gluten-free seasoned salt while still warm. Drain enough meat to cover french fries then spoon on top, and then sprinkle on shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top french fries with chopped tomato, finely minced white onion, and special sauce, then serve with extra special sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Freeze leftover meat for another use OR make Iowa's famous "Maid Rites" sandwiches by spooning the drained meat onto buns then topping with ketchup and dill pickle slices.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Does the brown sugar make the dish sweet? I don’t care for sweets at all and usually leave out sugar in dishes. Will my family be missing out on flavor?
Hi Bethany! No, I don’t think it makes it taste sweet at all – it just balances out the other flavors. If your family is sensitive to even subtle sweetness, you can leave it out!
Do you are putting raw ground beef in the crockpot and it cooks through? I have never tried this method before and just wanted to double check
You got it! :)
Do you have a brand of gf french fries that you could recommend?
I like Ore-Ida!
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you of an error that I have discovered regarding this recipe. You make note the you like the Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce but the first ingredient listed is Malt Vinegar (Barley). My wife, who has Celiac disease would be severely ill if she was to use this specific brand as Celiac’s can not consume Wheat, Barley or Rye. There are brands out there that are Gluten free. My wife found your site today as she is always on the look out for new meal ideas, and when I arrived home from work,l I walked into a house that smelled absolutely delicious. The aroma of your GF Ground Beef Stroganoff filled my nose and my belly. Absolutely amazing dish. Please keep up the good work and we look forward to trying more dishes.
Thanks,
Sean
Sean, are you in Canada? I’m not sure it’s GF in Canada. Great example of why those of us with CD always need to be checking labels ourselves, despite what we read online. I’m glad the dish worked out for you and her especially!
You’re right Kristin-Lea and Perrins worcestershire is not gluten free in Canada. A co-worker of mine discovered this when her hubby was recently diagnosed with celiac. They stock up whenever they are in the US?
This. Was. Amazing!!! Can’t wait to make it again, we have it on the menu for Super Bowl Sunday :) Thanks so much!!!
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[…] 1. Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries with Special Sauce […]
[…] Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries with Special Sauce by Iowa Girl Eats […]
If I wanted to just make this on the stovetop rather than the crock pot, do I need to do anything different? Do I need to add more liquid or reduce the amount of liquid? Would it taste different since it’s not cooking in the liquid for 4 hours? I’m afraid of the meat getting too crumbly/mushy in the crock pot which is why I wanted to try stovetop. Thank you for all of your delicious recipes. It is my go-to site when meal planning!
Hi Heather! I haven’t tried but I’d start with the same measurements! I hope you love it!
I made this dish for my quilters lunch today and it got raves and requests for the recipe —- a keeper — for sure — thanks.
Awww, so glad to hear it, Marylyn! Thanks so much for the feedback!
I tried your recipe “Potsticker Noodle Bowls” that I found on Pinterest the other day and they were very tasty. my wife and kids loved them! I’ll make this one next time :)
Thank you!
I hope you all love it, Kamil!
Lovely! Made the burger mixture one day and served it another. Easy and well received by the family.
Awesome, Michelle! The beef really does just get better and better. Thanks so much for leaving feedback!
[…] here on Iowa Girl Eats for the recipe and […]
Oh my goodness, that looks amazing!
I am so in love with this! I have made your original Maid Rite recipe a couple times lately bc we got the craving- but this spin on it is genius. Thank you! Looking forward to ALL the FALL posts to come! YAY!
I love this Crock Pot Maid Rite recipe 100 times better than my original one so try and it and let me know what you think!
Can you please share your crockpot recipe for maid rites!!!!!!!?? I am from Iowa originally but now live in Wisconsin and we dont have Maid Rite up here!! I have recipe I use but would love to have a crockpot version.
It’s in the recipe card – first 8 ingredients and first direction! :)
Jealous that you got to see Yonder Mountain String Band! I love them !
They were so good!
Let football season begin!