Frederic Melton
Shake Shack is a popular fast-food chain that has gained a reputation for its delicious cheese sauce. The sauce has become so popular that the company released the recipe for it in 2020, allowing fans to recreate the magic at home. The recipe includes a mix of American and cheddar cheese, along with other ingredients like onions, white wine, heavy cream, and jalapeño slices. While the sauce is a favourite, Shake Shack's classic cheeseburger, featuring American cheese, is also a much-loved menu item.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | American |
| Cheese sauce ingredients | Onions, white wine, heavy cream, jalapeño slices, canola oil, white wine vinegar, whole peppercorns |
| Additional ingredients | Cheddar cheese |
| Recipe | Boil cream, add cheese and whisk until smooth |
| Other ingredients | 20% polyester |
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What You'll Learn
Shake Shack's cheese sauce recipe
Shake Shack's cheese sauce is a fan-favourite, and the recipe was released in 2020 by the company's culinary director, Mark Rosati. The sauce can be made in just 30 minutes and includes two types of cheese, American and cheddar, as well as other ingredients like onions, white wine, heavy cream, jalapeño slices, canola oil, white wine vinegar, and whole peppercorns.
To make the sauce, first, heat a pan to a high temperature and add canola oil, sliced onions, jalapeños, peppercorns, and season with salt. Once the onions become soft and translucent, deglaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar. After the liquids have reduced, add in the cream and turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Then, strain the cream to remove any solids and put it back into the pan. Bring the cream to a boil and immediately add the cheese, constantly whisking until smooth.
The type of cheese used is important, as it should have a decent amount of emulsifying salt (sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, etc.) to keep the proteins from curdling in the heat. American cheese, for example, has these salts added, which is why it melts smoothly. If using a different type of cheese, you may need to add a 1/4 teaspoon of sodium citrate to achieve the same smooth consistency.
This sauce is perfect for drizzling over Shake Shack's famous cheese fries or disco fries, which are cheese fries with gravy. It can also be used on burgers or even English roasted potatoes.
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American cheese in burgers
While Shake Shack has not released information on the type of cheese it uses, American cheese is a popular choice for burgers. American cheese is a processed cheese product made by blending a cheese base, usually Colby, with other ingredients such as cream, water, salt, spices, and an emulsifying agent. It is known for its meltability and ability to form a gooey sheath around a burger patty, complementing the flavours of the beef without being too overpowering.
In a taste test of different American cheeses on burgers, tasters ranked the cheeses based on flavour, meltability, and overall impression. The top-ranked cheese was a generic store-bought brand, which scored highly for its salty, milky flavour and meltability. Other well-ranked options included the Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, which tasters described as having a "solid flavour" and being "good and melty", and Deli Deluxe, a premium offering from Kraft made with real American cheese.
When choosing American cheese for burgers, some people prefer to get it custom-sliced at a deli counter, as it can be cut thicker and melts better than pre-packaged slices. Recommended brands for burgers include Land O Lakes, Cooper Sharp, Cabot, and Boar's Head.
While American cheese is a popular choice for cheeseburgers, other types of cheese can also be used. For example, provolone has a mild, buttery flavour and good meltability, while Emmental, or "Swiss cheese", has a mild flavour and melts consistently. More adventurous options include blue cheese, which has a strong, pungent flavour, and Gruyère, which has a nutty flavour that may better stand up to the flavours of the meat.
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Cheese sauce ingredients
Shake Shack's cheese sauce is made with a combination of American and cheddar cheese. The full list of ingredients is as follows:
- Two cups of American cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Onions
- White wine
- Heavy cream
- Jalapeño slices
- Canola oil
- White wine vinegar
- Whole peppercorns
The recipe for this critically acclaimed sauce was revealed by Shake Shack's culinary director, Mark Rosati, in an Instagram video in 2020. In the video, Rosati explains that to make the sauce, one must first heat a pan with canola oil and add sliced onions, jalapeños, peppercorns, and a sprinkle of salt. Once the onions become soft and translucent, deglaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar. After the liquids have reduced, add the cream and turn off the heat, letting the mixture steep for 30 minutes. After steeping, strain the cream to remove any solids, then put it back into the pan and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, add in the cheese and whisk until smooth.
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How to make the sauce
Shake Shack's cheese sauce is a fan-favourite, and the recipe for this sauce was released by the company in 2020. The sauce uses two types of cheese, American and cheddar, along with a few other ingredients.
To make the sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
- American cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Onions
- White wine
- Heavy cream
- Jalapeño slices
- Canola oil
- White wine vinegar
- Whole peppercorns
- Get a pan hot and add some canola oil to it.
- Add sliced onions, jalapeños, and whole peppercorns to the pan. You can also add a sprinkle of salt for seasoning.
- Cook the onions until they become soft and translucent.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar.
- After the vinegar and white wine reduce, add the cream and turn off the heat.
- Let the mixture steep for about 30 minutes.
- Once the time is up, strain the cream to remove any solids.
- Put the cream back into the pan and bring it to a boil.
- Immediately add the cheese and constantly whisk until the sauce is smooth.
And that's it! You now have your very own Shake Shack cheese sauce. This sauce goes well with fries, burgers, or even roasted potatoes. Enjoy!
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Other cheese sauce uses
Shake Shack's cheese sauce is one of their best-known menu items, and the recipe was released in 2020. The sauce uses a combination of American and cheddar cheese, along with other ingredients, to create a versatile topping.
The sauce is not just for cheese fries, although that is a popular choice. The sauce can be used as a topping for a variety of dishes, including:
- Burgers
- Roasted potatoes
- Disco fries (cheese fries with gravy)
- Drizzle over vegetables, such as broccoli or carrots
- As a dip for chips or breadsticks
- In pasta dishes, such as mac and cheese
- On hot dogs
- As a topping for nachos
- In grilled cheese sandwiches
The sauce is versatile and can be adapted to suit personal tastes. For example, adding different herbs and spices to the basic recipe can create a variety of flavours. The sauce can also be made with different types of cheese, such as mozzarella or Munster, to create a unique flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
Shake Shack uses American cheese.
The sauce uses a blend of American and cheddar cheese, as well as onions, white wine, heavy cream, jalapeño slices, canola oil, white wine vinegar, and whole peppercorns.
First, heat up some canola oil in a pan and add sliced onions, jalapeños, peppercorns, and a sprinkle of salt. Once the onions are soft, deglaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar. After the liquids have reduced, add in the cream and turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes, then strain the cream and put it back into the pan. Bring the cream to a boil and add in the cheese, whisking until smooth.
To make the ShackSauce, simply stir all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
The ShackBurger is covered in American cheese.
