Shake Shack Burgers

I knew I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and traditional start of the grilling season over Memorial Day weekend by grilling burgers, but I thought I'd kick it up a notch by finally trying these make-at-home Shake Shack Burgers.

The original recipe calls for cooking the burgers in a skillet, but I was set on grilling so that's what I did. When you look at the ingredients this is a very traditional burger that's elevated by the cooking method and the sauce. The sauce is what makes these burgers. I loved it, SP wasn't a fan. I will definitely be making these again and just letting SP dress his own burger. One of these days I hope to try an actual Shake Shack burger.

Shake Shack Burgers
As seen on What's Brewing in the Kitchen, originally from Serious Eats

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 slices kosher dill pickle, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 burger rolls, preferably potato
4 leaves lettuce, tops of leaves only
4 slices ripe tomatoes, center-cut preferred

4 slices yellow American cheese

Combine mayo, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickle, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne in a bowl. Set aside.

Form the ground beef into 4 patties. Sprinkle the top side heavily with salt and pepper.

Using a wadded up paper towel, rub vegetable oil on a large stainless steel skillet, then place over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke.

Split the buns and spread the softened butter on the tops and bottoms of all 4 rolls. Place under the broiler or toast until golden brown. Once toasted, top with 1-2 teaspoons of sauce on each bun. On the top bun, add one leaf of lettuce and one slice of tomato. Set prepped buns on parchment paper.

When skillet is barely smoking, place beef patties in, seasoned side down. Using the back of a spatula, flatten the patties to 4 inches wide. You want the beef to stick and get a nice crust. Season the top side with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp crust forms, about three minutes. Flip burgers and top each with one slice American cheese. Cover and cook until cheese melts.

Transfer patties to bottoms of burger buns and cover with toppings and bun tops. Wrap in parchment paper and let sit for 1-2 minutes to let the juices from the burgers sink into the buns and the sauce to meld with the other toppings and cheese. Don't skip this step, it really makes a difference! Unwrap and serve immediately.