Copycat Shake Shack SmokeShack

One cheeseburger...good….two cheeseburger, BETTER. Ever try a “smashie burger”? Shake Shack is famous for making them famous to the cityfolk. Crusty, juicy meat, loaded with delicious fixins’ have people standing in line. The ShackSauce is worth the wait alone.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 3
• Yields: 4 burgers

Ingredients

• Burgers

• 2  lbs ground beef
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• Shack sauce

• 1  cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ketchup
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pickle juice (kosher dill)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4  potato hamburger buns
• 8  slices cheese (American)
• 16  slices smoked bacon, thick cut, cooked
• 2⁄3 cup  cherry pepper (pickled)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 150 degrees F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven.
2. After forming hamburger patties into 8 (5-inch) wide patties, about 1/3 inch-thick, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Refrigerate.
3. Shack Sauce:
4. In a small bowl, stir together; mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, pickle brine, and cayenne pepper.
5. Heat butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium -ow. Place buns, split side down in skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.
6. Increase heat to medium-high, working in two batches place patties in the pan, Using a large, sturdy spatula, firmly press burgers into the pan making sure they “smash slightly” and adhere to the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until bottom of burger is dark brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip patties, using spatula to “smash” lightly again; top each burger with a cheese slice, cook until cheese has melted and burger patty is dark golden brown on other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer burgers to baking sheet in the oven. Off of the heat, using paper towels if needed, wipe any excess cheese or oil from the skillet. Repeat the process with the remaining burger patties.
7. Assemble:
8. Dividing evenly layer buns with a two cheeseburgers, two strips of bacon and chopped cherry pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of ShakSauce on each top buns. Top burgers and serve hot, with additional ShakSauce on the Side.