ShackBurger-Style Smash Burger (Copycat)

Name: ShackBurger-Style Smash Burger (Copycat)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 300 g beef mince, about 20% fat (kept cold, divided into 2 pucks); 2 soft potato buns; 2 slices American cheese; 1 tomato (sliced); 4 leaves lettuce; 1 tbsp butter (for the buns); 4 tbsp mayonnaise (for the sauce); 1 tsp Dijon mustard (for the sauce); 1 tsp ketchup (for the sauce); 1 tsp pickle brine (for the sauce); 1 pinch cayenne pepper (for the sauce); salt and black pepper (to taste)

Independent copycat-style recreation, not Shake Shack UAE’s official recipe (theirs is a trade secret) and not affiliated with Shake Shack UAE. This is a home version inspired by the menu item, worked out for a normal home kitchen.

A home version of the thin smashed-patty burger format: a cold beef patty pressed flat on a hot cast iron pan so it forms a deep brown crust, American cheese melted over the top, and a tangy burger sauce in a soft toasted potato bun. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per burger.

Servings

15 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

Medium

Difficulty

620

Est. calories / serving

What it costs: restaurant vs home

Option	Cost
Non-VegShackBurger at Shake Shack UAE (typical price, from the menu page)	39 AED
This home version, per serving	15 AED
You save	24 AED (62%)

Restaurant price is the typical figure from our Shake Shack UAE menu data (prices vary by location). Home cost is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient	Note
300 g	beef mince, about 20% fat	kept cold, divided into 2 pucks
2	soft potato buns	n/a
2 slices	American cheese	n/a
1	tomato	sliced
4 leaves	lettuce	n/a
1 tbsp	butter	for the buns
4 tbsp	mayonnaise	for the sauce
1 tsp	Dijon mustard	for the sauce
1 tsp	ketchup	for the sauce
1 tsp	pickle brine	for the sauce
1 pinch	cayenne pepper	for the sauce
n/a	salt and black pepper	to taste

Method

Stir the mayonnaise, Dijon, ketchup, pickle brine, cayenne and a pinch of salt together for the sauce and set it aside.
Shape the cold mince into 2 firm round pucks, slightly wider than the buns, and season the tops generously.
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them in a dry pan until golden, then set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke.
Place a puck in the pan and press it flat with a heavy spatula to about 1 cm thick. Leave it completely untouched for about 3 minutes so a brown crust forms.
Flip once, season the cooked side, and lay a cheese slice over the patty for the last minute so it melts.
Spread sauce on both bun halves, add lettuce and tomato to the bottom bun, then the cheese-topped patty, then the bun top.
Serve straight away while the patty is still crisp at the edges.

Tips

Keep the mince cold until it hits the pan; warm mince smears instead of smashing into a crust.
Do not press the patty after the first smash, or the juices run out and the crust turns dry.
A flat, heavy spatula and a piece of baking paper between spatula and meat make the smash much easier.

Allergen caution: whether the home version contains allergens depends entirely on the ingredients and brands you use. Check every label, and take extra care with shared surfaces and frying oil if anyone eating has an allergy.

Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by Umami Girl. Their Shake Shack Burger recipe, adapted from the Shake Shack cookbook and home-tested over seven years, was the reference point for the sauce balance and the smash method here. Our wording, quantities and method above are our own. The recipe above is complete as published here; the original is credited only as a reference for readers who want to compare: original tested recipe at Umami Girl.

See the full Shake Shack UAE menu & prices The original item: Non-VegShackBurger