Shake Shack's Classic Cheeseburger
by Tasting Table Staff
dinner
Yield: 4 burgersPrep: 20 minutesCook: 10 minutesTotal: 30 minutes
Ingredients
You have 2 of 13
produce
- ○4green-leaf lettuce
- ○8plum tomatoes(sliced)
protein
- ○1 lbground beef(cold, formed into four 1-inch-thick pucks)
dairy
- ○4 slicesamerican cheese
- ○4 tbspunsalted butter(melted)
grain
- ○4hamburger potato buns
pantry staple
- ○1/4 tspdill pickle brine
- ○cayenne pepper
- ✓1/2 cupmayonnaise
- ✓1 tspketchup
- ○kosher salt
- ○freshly ground pepper
- ○1 tbspdijon mustard
Instructions
- Make the ShackSauce: In a small bowl, stir all of the sauce ingredients until smooth, then set aside.
- Make the ShackBurgers: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, open the hamburger buns and brush both sides liberally with the melted butter. Working in 2 batches, place the buns onto the heated skillet, buttered-sides down, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and spoon 1 tablespoon of sauce on each top bun, along with a piece of lettuce and 2 slices of tomato.
- Increase the heat to medium and let the pan heat up for 2 to 3 minutes. On a plate, season both sides of each puck of ground beef with salt and pepper.
- Place the pucks into the cast-iron skillet, leaving plenty of room between them. Using a large, sturdy metal spatula, firmly smash each puck into a ⅓-inch-thick round patty. Cook the burgers without touching them until the edges are brown and crisp, 2½ minutes, then flip them. Place a slice of American cheese on each burger and continue to cook until medium, 1 minute more.
- Transfer a cheeseburger to each bottom bun, then sandwich with the top bun and lettuce and tomato, and serve.
My notes
Recipe adapted from 'Shake Shack: Recipes & Stories,' by Randy Garutti and Mark Rosati