I went behind the scenes at Shake Shack to see how its critically acclaimed ShackMeister burger is made
We were greeted by Shake Shack's executive chef, John Karangis, who would show us how the ShackMeister burger was made.
Karangis said that the ShackMeister burger was created in 2014 as an answer to fan demand for onion rings.
The burger's main feature is shallots, a small French bulb vegetable that Karangis described as "halfway between onion and garlic."
Sliced shallots are then marinated in beer and other spices.
Shake Shack partnered with Brooklyn Brewery to create ShackMeister beer, which perfectly complements the flavor of the shallots, Karangis said.
The marinated shallots are then tossed in the same flour that's used to bread Chick'n Shack sandwiches.
Finally, they're fried until golden brown.
They're salted right out of the fryer because the residual moisture from the frying process helps the salt adhere to the shallots.
Next, it was time to move on to the most important part of the burger: the beef.
ShackMeister burgers are made with the same patties as other Shake Shack burgers. Ground beef and spices are formed into a small puck and tossed on the grill.
Once they're on the grill, they're pressed flat to maximize the patty's caramelized area.
Each patty is then showered in four shakes of salt.
After about a minute and a half, the patties are flipped with a downward scraping motion.
Then a slice of American cheese is added, and the patty sits for another minute and a half on the grill.
By the time the patty leaves the grill, it has shrunk to fit the size of the toasted bun.
Finally, it's the fried shallots' time to shine.
Karangis showed us how to grab the delicate shallots in a claw motion and gently place them on the patty.
The burger must be closed carefully so as not to damage the shallots. Everything is about preserving the crisp.
It was finally time for the audience to participate. I was given an apron, some gloves, and a beef puck to toss on the grill.
Karangis told me to push straight down. It required some strength and effort to flatten the patty.
Then, I was told to slide the flattening instrument off the patty.
Karangis told me to salt the patty four times, ensuring an even spread of salt.
He showed me how to hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle. Pushing down instead of horizontally is very important.
Shake Shack cooks switch spatulas for flipping patties and taking them off the grill. This is to keep dairy-contaminated cookware separate from dairy-free cookware.
Finally, I plated my burger, smeared on a bit of Shack Sauce, and topped it with a generous grab of fried shallots.
Voilà! The finished product.
At last, I got to enjoy the fruit of my labor: one delicious burger.
I'd overdone it on the salt, but otherwise, the shallots were a welcome crunchy, flavorful addition to Shake Shack's juicy patty and soft bun.
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