Homemade Shake Shack Burger

By Rebecca Gruber

Published on 5/22/2014 at 5:02 PM

Homemade Shake Shack Burger

Yield4 burgers

Adapted from J. Kenji López-Alt, Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS

    • For the shack sauce:
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
    • 4 slices kosher dill pickles
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
    • Pinch cayenne pepper
    • For the burgers:
    • 8 ounces ground beef sirloin
    • 4 ounces ground beef chuck
    • 4 ounces ground beef brisket
    • 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
    • 4 potato burger buns, such as Martin's Sandwich Rolls
    • 4 tablespoons shack sauce
    • 4 leaves of green-leaf lettuce
    • 8 slices ripe plum tomatoes
    • 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • Kosher salt
    • Black pepper, freshly ground
    • 4 slices yellow American cheese

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. (It makes about 3/4 cup sauce.)

    2. Gently mix together the sirloin, chuck, and brisket in a mixing bowl until just combined. Form into 4 patties, each about 2 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches wide. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

    3. Split open buns and spread with a thin coating of butter, then toast in a skillet until brown, about 1 minute. Using a squirt bottle, drizzle about 1 tablespoon shake sauce on the top half of each bun. Place 1 lettuce leaf and 2 slices of tomato on top half of each bun.

    4. Add oil to a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, then heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Generously season beef patties on top side with salt and pepper, then transfer, seasoned side down, to the hot skillet. Use a heavy, flat spatula to press down and lightly flatten the beef patties. Season top-facing side with salt and pepper. Cook until a crisp brown crust has formed, about 2 minutes.

    5. Carefully loosen any crusty parts of the burger patties from the skillet, and flip over. Top each patty with 1 slice of American cheese and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute longer. Transfer patties to burger bun bottoms, top with the the top bun (including tomatoes and lettuce), and serve hot.