Copycat In N Out Burger & Animal Style Fries Recipe

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I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted! One of the biggest reasons is that we made a huge cross-country move. If there is one thing I miss about CA, it’s In N Out! I miss their burgers and animal style fries. We have yet to find something that comes close, so we decided to attempt making out our own. I must say, this copycat In N Out burger and animal style fries recipe is SOOOOOO good!

Even if you do have an In N Out near you, this recipe is fun to make at home and will help you save a few bucks. The key to a homemade In N Out style burger is the sauce and layering the toppings correctly. The rest is pretty easy!

Copycat In N Out Burger Recipe

Homemade In N Out Burger Ingredients:

1. Burger Patties
2. Burger Buns
3. American Cheese Slices
4. Mayo
5. Ketchup
6. Sweet Relish
7. Iceberg Lettuce
8. Tomato Slices
9. Onion
10. Dill Pickles (optional)

Burger Patty: In N Out burger patties are pretty thin, so the thinner the better. We made a batch with thicker burgers and a batch with thinner burgers, and I must say the thin patty was the winner. It really does make a difference in the taste and texture.

Burger Bun: The bun is also important. You don’t need anything fancy. The trick is to butter the buns then grill them on the skillet to get that crispy layer while keeping the rest of the bun soft.

The Cheese: As tempting as it might be to get some fancy cheese slices, the good old fashioned American cheese slices are the real winner. Anything else will not give you that In N Out nostalgia.

In N Out Sauce: The In N Out burger sauce recipe is below. Don’t buy a thousand island dressing or secret sauce at the store. Making homemade In N Out sauce is easy and will taste just like it does at In N Out.

The Onions: Whether you like raw or grilled onions on your burger, grilled onions are always great for the animal style fries. When grilling the onions, you need to make sure they stay wet so they don’t get to crispy (more on that below).

The Toppings: Layering the toppings in the right order is important. I promise it makes a difference in the taste and texture!

In N Out Sauce Recipe

Combine 2 parts mayo to 1 part ketchup. Add 1 tablespoon of sweet relish for every 1/2 cup of sauce. Easy peasy!

The sauce will be the first topping on the buttered and grilled bun in the burger layering process.

In N Out Grilled Onions Recipe

Chop an onion into small squares. Add them to a skillet with cooking oil and cook on low-medium until they are translucent and a little brown. If the onions absorb all of the oil, add a splash of water and keep adding water until they are finished. If all the oil and water get absorbed too quick, the grilled onions will come out too crispy.

How to Cook & Layer an Animal Style Burger

We like our In N Out burger animal style. If you want it regular style, just omit the grilled onions, pickles and mustard while cooking the burger patty (more on that below).

1. Cook burgers on a skillet (we use this cast iron skillet). When you flip the burger, add a little bit of yellow mustard on top (just enough that it will soak in and get cooked with the burger meat).
2. Butter the buns on the inner top and bottom pieces. Grill on the skillet until they are a little crispy.
3. Top burger patties with American cheese (the kind that are individually wrapped in plastic).
4. Add the In N Out sauce to the bottom bun.
5. Add pickles (optional).
6. Add a slice or two of tomato.
7. Add a slice or two of iceberg lettuce.
8. Add the burger patty (with or without cheese).
9. Add the onions (raw or grilled).
10. Top the burger with the top bun.

In N Out Animal Style Fries Recipe

Fresh or frozen fries will work. We got frozen shoestring fries and cooked them according to the package directions in the air fryer.

Add the fries to a microwave-safe food container. Top the fries with 2 slices of American cheese. Microwave the fries with cheese for about 30 seconds (or just until melted).

Top the cheese fries with grilled onions.

Add In N Out sauce. That’s it!

Find other recipe ideas here!