How to Make a Pickle-Packed Burger Sauce Inspired by Deep Ellum

Most home cooks treat pickles on burgers as a finishing move: lay a chip on top, leave one on the side, or pick it off entirely. Deep Ellum, a restaurant in Waltham, Massachusetts, takes a different approach on its current menu, pairing comeback sauce with American cheese, grilled onions, iceberg, and spicy mustard on its onion smash burger.

This guide uses that idea — pickle flavor built into a creamy burger sauce — to show two home-friendly versions. One is smooth and fast, using dill relish. The other has a brighter dill flavor, using chopped kosher dill pickles. Both rely on the same rule: when pickle acidity is mixed into the sauce, every bite gets a little lift.

Why pickles work better in the sauce

A rich burger needs contrast. Beef, cheese, mayonnaise, and a soft bun can taste heavy without something sharp to cut through the fat. A pickle chip does that job, but only in the bites that catch it.

A pickle-forward sauce spreads that acidity across the bun. Instead of getting one sour hit in the middle of the burger, you get a steadier balance of fat, salt, tang, and heat.

That same logic shows up in Serious Eats' Shack Sauce recipe, which blends kosher dill pickle slices into a mayonnaise-based sauce with ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. The pickle is not just garnish there; it becomes part of the sauce's flavor and texture.

Comeback sauce also has a Southern, Mississippi-linked lineage worth noting. Southern Living traces comeback sauce to Mississippi restaurant culture, where it is commonly built from mayonnaise, ketchup or chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. This version borrows from that creamy, tangy style while leaning harder on dill pickle flavor.

Choose the right pickle first

The pickle you choose determines the texture of the sauce.

Dill relish is the fastest option. It disperses evenly into a mayonnaise-ketchup base, requires no chopping, and gives the sauce a smooth, spoonable consistency. Use it when you want a quick burger sauce with no equipment.

Kosher dill chips give you more control. Chop and blend them into the sauce when you want a brighter dill flavor and a little more character. This route works best if you have a blender or food processor, though a very fine hand chop will also work.

Sweet relish and bread-and-butter pickles are not ideal here. Dill relish and kosher dill pickles bring sharper acidity; sweeter pickles pull the sauce toward sugary instead of bright.

Moisture matters, too. Wet pickle slices can loosen the sauce quickly. Before chopping, press the pickle slices between paper towels and let them sit for a minute. A few teaspoons of brine will not ruin the sauce, but a tablespoon or two can make it thin, especially in the blended version. For relish, stir the jar before measuring so the brine and solids are evenly mixed.

Make the sauce two ways

Both versions take about five minutes of active mixing. Chill the sauce for at least 20 minutes before serving so the flavor settles and the texture firms up.

Version A: smooth dill relish sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 6 tablespoons dill pickle relish

• 2 tablespoons vinegar-based hot sauce

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and dill pickle relish in a bowl.

2. Add the hot sauce, lemon juice, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and cayenne.

3. Whisk until fully combined.

4. Taste after chilling, then adjust with more mayonnaise, relish, hot sauce, or vinegar as needed.

Expected result: A tangy, slightly smoky sauce with layered acidity and a clean spread. This is the better route when you want a smoother sauce or do not want to use a blender.

Version B: blended kosher dill sauce

Ingredients

• 4 kosher dill pickle slices

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon ketchup

• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Press the pickle slices between paper towels to remove excess brine, then chop them finely.

2. Add the pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne to a blender.

3. Blend on high for 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides once, until smooth.

4. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate.

Expected result: Slightly looser than the relish version, with a brighter, more distinct dill flavor.

No blender? Chop smaller

The chopped-pickle method does not strictly require a blender. Chop the pickle slices as finely as you can manage — aim for pieces no larger than a lentil — then whisk them directly into the mayonnaise base.

The sauce will have more texture, but it will still hold together and taste right. The blender gives you a smoother, more cohesive result; it is useful, not mandatory.

Troubleshooting

Too loose: Add another tablespoon of mayonnaise and whisk or blend again. This usually happens when the pickles were not dried before chopping.

Too sharp or vinegary: Add a small spoonful of mayonnaise to soften the edge without losing the acidity.

Too sweet: Check the pickle jar. Sweet relish or bread-and-butter pickles will push the sauce in the wrong direction for this burger style.

Too chunky: Blend longer, or chop the pickles more finely before mixing. If longer blending does not help, the pieces were too large going in.

Both sauces taste better cold. Make them at least 20 minutes ahead so the flavors meld and the texture firms up. Store either sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator, use a clean spoon each time, and discard it if it has been left at room temperature for more than two hours, consistent with USDA guidance on the food-safety "danger zone."

Where to spread it on the burger

Spread the pickle sauce on the top bun. Use the bottom bun for mustard, or leave it bare if the burger already has enough going on. Two creamy sauces on the same bun can muddy the flavor.

If you want the snap of an actual pickle chip, add whole dill slices as a topping. The sauce spreads acidity across the bun; the chip adds crunch. They do different jobs, and both can work on the same burger.

For the cleanest build, try this order:

1. Bottom bun

2. Mustard, if using

3. Burger patty and cheese

4. Grilled onions or lettuce

5. Pickle sauce on the top bun

6. Optional dill pickle chips

Use the same trick on other sandwiches

The rule travels well: build acidity into a condiment when the sandwich is rich, fatty, or fried.

Use the relish version on smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, or fries. Use the blended kosher dill version when you want a stronger pickle flavor on fish sandwiches, fried chicken sandwiches, or veggie burgers.

The choice is simple: use dill relish when you want smooth and fast; use chopped kosher dill pickles when you want brighter dill flavor and more control. Either way, the pickle belongs in the sauce, not only on top of the burger.