Reviewing Shake Shack’s DIY ShackBurger Kit

All About the DIY ShackBurger Kit.

Shake Shack is one of the best burgers out there for so many reasons. These days, you can get your ShackBurger craving satisfied is by ordering it as takeout or delivery from your local Shake Shack. Or, you can get the official Shake Shack book and follow the recipes. Or, you can order the DIY ShackBurger Kit!

Ordering & Unboxing the Kit

DIY ShackBurger Kits unveiled earlier this year in the midst of the worldwide quarantines (or shelter in place, lockdown, etc – however you want to label it). The kits are currently sold online for shipment throughout the US or in select cities in California and Utah. The kit sells for $49 USD excluding shipping fees and delivery charges.

Beyond the US, the kits are also sold internationally. Check your country’s Shake Shack Instagram account to see if your nearby Shack is selling kits. In the Philippines, the 2 Shake Shack locations in Manila are selling DIY ShackBurger Kits for 1600 PHP.

The DIY ShackBurger Kits come in a large, sturdy Shake Shack paper bag. The packaging alone begins to justify the price. If you pick up the kits, you just pay the flat rate. If you arrange for shipment or delivery, note that you must pay the extra delivery fees.

On top of the boxed kit, you will have extras beyond what’s put in the ShackBurger including cherry peppers for some fresh spice and the Shake Shack preferred brands of ketchup and mustard.

The DIY ShackBurger Kit includes a set of 8 ShackBurgers with the Shack sauce, salt & pepper mix, potato bun, American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and fresh beef patties as well as a couple of pickles. You can cook the burgers as soon as they arrive or refrigerate the contents for up to 2 days.

The classic ShackBurger has two slices of Roma tomatoes. Depending on your location, Roma tomatoes may run out but you will be given two gorgeous and quality tomatoes per kit.

The beef patties come in a vacuum-sealed pack with dates of production and when it’s best before. The instructions guide you to cook the beef while it’s fresh and not from the freezer. But if you choose to freeze it, just know that it may change the freshness qualities compared to what you get from the store.

Cooking ShackBurgers at Home

Inside the Kit, there is a detailed guideline for all that is inside the box, and how to exactly cook the burgers for the most authentic ShackBurger at home. At the same time, you can freely customize the burgers to make it your own creation.

The first step after unboxing and prepping your cooking space is to warm up the buns. The recipe calls for buttering the bread and placing it on the pan or griddle. If you want a slightly healthier burger, you can opt out of the buttering and just place the inside of the buns directly on the pan or griddle.

One part of the appeal of ShackBurgers is the smashed burger that gets all that delicious flavor and crusty texture from the griddle. You can smash it with two spatulas or with another small pan lined with parchment paper so the meat does not stick to the pan.

Reviewing the Cooking & Eating Experience

The instructions detail how to layer the burger exactly like a traditional ShackBurger with the patty directly on the bun, followed by tomato, lettuce, and Shack sauce on the top bun.

Unboxing and preparing the burgers are the easy part. Assembling them is just as easy. The difficult part is the cleanup, especially if you lean towards a clean kitchen. If you have the option to cook outside, do it. The burgers spatter with oil. If you don’t have that option, get a metal mesh shield ready to lessen the oil spatter all over the floor and counters.

Because the ingredients are exactly the same as the restaurant, you will enjoy the same tasting experience at home. If you choose not to butter the buns, it will actually feel even less guilty (although because the ingredients are quality to begin with, it is definitely a healthier burger than a fast-food joint).

If you are far from a Shake Shack location and you need to satisfy your ShackBurger cravings, the price and effort to cook and clean are worth it. But if you have access for safe pick up or delivery, it’s worth paying a little more for the convenience of eating and not cleaning up the kitchen.