Shake Shack, the popular and fast-growing burger chain, has just released a cookbook that includes directions for preparing its signature burger.

Well, sort of.

In "Shake Shack: Recipes & Stories" (Clarkson Potter, $26), authors Randy Garutti and Mark Rosati (the company's CEO and culinary director, respectively), in collaboration with James Beard award-winning editor Dorothy Kalins, offer a reasonable home-cook facsimile of the famous ShackBurger, along with nearly 70 recipes that approximate Shake Shack classics, including crinkle fries, corn dogs, the Chick'n Shack sandwich and frozen custard shakes.

The "stories" side of the book tells tales of Shake Shack's history, profiles key collaborators and suppliers, discusses methodologies, provides ­recipe-related commentary and illuminates the company's key-to-success business practices. Anyone with an interest in all-American fare will find it helpful and readable.

"My favorite burger is a plain cheeseburger," writes Rosati. "I wish it were more complicated, but it's not. If the meat is fresh (say 'No' to that convenient packaged pre-ground meat and, just once, have whole muscles ground for you; I promise, you'll taste the difference), well seasoned (simply, with salt and freshly ground pepper), properly cooked with a nice salty crust (a quick sear on a hot, flat surface to lock in the juices, but not cooked so long those juices dry up), the cheese is melted and creamy, and it's cradled by a bun that's nicely toasted yet still soft and pillowy on the outside, I don't ask for anything more.

"That is the most perfect burger bite of my life: when the interior juices of the burger meet the creaminess of the cheese, co-mingle and create a natural sauce. If you understand the basics, you can have that experience, too. It's the most primal, simple and pleasurable expression of what a great burger is all about."

“Shake Shack: Recipes & Stories.”

When it comes to preparing the burger, here are a few notes: Shake Shack prefers potato rolls from Martin's in Chambersburg, Pa. Unfortunately, the mega-bakery doesn't supply Twin Cities metro area supermarkets with its milk- and potato-enriched buns. (Conveniently, Lunds & Byerlys bakes its own version; a dozen run about $10.)

Shake Shack's exact beef formula — created by butcher Pat LaFrieda — isn't revealed, but the book does say that the formula follows a mix of brisket, chuck and short rib (the percentages aren't mentioned). The beef is fresh, not frozen, and it's all-natural Angus, raised without hormones or antibiotics.

For home cooks with a meat grinder (or a friendly butcher), here's the recommendation: cut the meat into small pieces, and chill the beef; do not bring it to room temperature. On the first grind, use the coarse plate, and on the second grind, rely upon a finer plate.

When it comes to toasting the buns, "We say a well toasted bun should look like perfectly cooked French toast," write the authors. They prefer Roma tomatoes because "they are firm enough to hold their shape and color and add a sweet note to balance the salty crust of the burger."

And why American cheese? "It is quite simply the creamiest, meltingest cheese there is, bringing its special tang to a cheeseburger," write the authors. "Buy it sliced; it's easier to drape on a hot burger."

Here's the recipe. Of course, if you want Shake Shack to do the cooking, the company's Mall of America location is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Rick Nelson • 612-673-4757

@RickNelsonStrib