The Legendary '90s McDonald's Meal We'd Love To Try Today

Back in the 1990s, Michael Jordan was the star of stars. In terms of fame, he was like all four Beatles rolled into one man, and could dunk from the free-throw line and nail mid-range jumpers. Not to mention, he was also quite the spokesman and Chicago steakhouse restaurateur. Naturally, McDonald's and Jordan — two of the biggest pop culture entities of the '90s — teamed up in 1991 for a special, Jordan-approved burger: the McJordan. The quarter-pound burger, which featured a circular cut of bacon that fit perfectly under the burger bun, swapped ketchup for a limited and since-discontinued tangy barbecue sauce.

The burger's origins reportedly came from the Jordan family, who had to pinch pennies to make ends meet while their kids traveled to play sports. James Jordan, Michael's father, explained as much to the Greensboro News & Record in 1991. "Many times we were on such a bent budget we would eat hot dogs and hamburgers, and that would get tiresome after a while, so we would just dress it up a bit," he said. That meant adding spices and sauces to their burgers, and thus, the McJordan was born. "It's very unique, like Michael," James Jordan said. However, beyond the proprietary barbecue sauce (which you can buy from collectors for $6,000) and that basketball-shaped piece of bacon, it was pretty much just a Quarter Pounder. To some, that might be disappointing, but it also means you can easily recreate this iconic meal at home or at McDonald's with relative ease.

McDonald's hasn't manufactured that special McJordan barbecue sauce since 1993. So even if you decide to drop the cash on that giant jug of McJordan sauce, you really shouldn't eat it. It's over 30 years old. However, you can easily recreate this burger at McDonald's today, or even at home. If you want to try the McJordan at a McDonald's of your choice, the order is pretty simple. All you need to do is order a regular Quarter Pounder, add bacon, request no ketchup, and then ask for a cup of barbecue sauce on the side. Granted, the bacon won't be circular, so you may not get that "perfect bite" every time. You could order extra bacon if you feel that's necessary. As far as McDonald's menu hacks go, this one won't put too much work on the person taking your order.

If you're making the McJordan at home, the same recipe pretty much applies, but the challenge is getting that circular bacon. Luckily, you can actually order circular-cut bacon from various retailers online, but you might be paying a premium for what might just be a novelty bite. Basically, cook up a copycat Quarter Pounder on the grill or in a pan, then add pickles, onions, bacon, American cheese, and barbecue sauce to a sesame seed bun. If you're dead set on the circular bacon and you're having trouble finding someone who will ship it to you, there are also plenty of circular cuts of Canadian bacon at the grocery store.