In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style Copycat Recipe

Make this Double-Double Animal Style burger at home when you are craving a classic fast-food-style cheeseburger with juicy mustard-fried patties, melted American cheese, tangy special sauce, crisp toppings, and sweet caramelized onions. This In-N-Out Burger copycat recipe is big, satisfying, and full of flavor.

If you have never tried a Double-Double Animal Style burger, it is known for its stacked layers: two thin beef patties cooked with mustard, two slices of cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, special sauce, and caramelized onions, all tucked inside a toasted bun. The patties are thin, the edges get beautifully browned, and the mustard helps create a savory crust without making the burger taste overly mustardy.

The key to getting this burger right is preparing each component before you start cooking the beef. The onions take the most time, the sauce tastes better after it rests, and the patties are easier to handle when they are shaped on wax paper. Once everything is ready, the burgers come together quickly.

Recipe Notes

• Toast the buns first and keep them warm. After toasting, pair the tops and bottoms together and place them back in the bread bag while you cook the beef patties. This helps keep them soft and warm.
• Shape the patties very thin. These burgers work best with thin patties that are slightly wider than the buns. Keep each patty on wax paper until you place it in the hot skillet so it does not fall apart.
• Do not skip the mustard-fried step. Cooking the patties with mustard gives the beef a flavorful browned crust. The finished burger does not taste strongly of mustard.
• Prepare the sauce and onions ahead of time. This makes cooking and assembling the burgers much faster when you are ready to serve.

Double-Double Animal Style Layers

A great Double-Double Animal Style burger is all about the layers. Build each burger in the right order so every bite has sauce, crunch, juicy beef, melted cheese, and caramelized onions.

Layer each burger in this order:

• Bottom bun
• 1 tablespoon special sauce
• 4 dill pickle slices
• 1 tomato slice
• 2 torn iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 beef patty with cheese
• 1 tablespoon caramelized onions
• 1 more beef patty with cheese
• Top bun

How to Make an In-N-Out Burger Copycat Double-Double Animal Style Burger

Caramelized Onions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onions and salt, then stir well.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.
• Turn the heat back to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of water, stir, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the water evaporates and the onions begin to lightly stick to the pan.
• Repeat the water step two more times. This helps soften the onions and build a deeper caramelized flavor.

• Transfer the onions to a container and set them aside until you are ready to assemble the burgers.

Special Sauce

• Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, sugar, and white vinegar to a bowl.

• Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Buns

• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 teaspoon of butter per bun and toast the cut sides for about 1 minute, or until the edges are deep golden brown but not burned. Set aside.

Mustard-Fried Beef Patties

• Divide the ground beef into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

• Lay a large piece of wax paper on your work surface.
• Flatten each beef ball with your hands, place it on the wax paper, and shape it into a very thin patty about 4 inches wide, or slightly larger than the bun.

• Repeat with the remaining beef. Season the patties with salt and pepper.

• Cut the wax paper into squares around each patty, then stack the patties on a plate until ready to cook.

• Lightly oil a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat for a few minutes. The pan should be hot before the patties go in.
• Place 2 patties in the skillet with the seasoned side down.

• Quickly season the tops with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard.

• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until browned. Flip the patties and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add a slice of American cheese to each patty. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions to one patty.

• Stack the plain cheese patty on top of the onion-topped patty. Remove the double stack from the skillet and repeat with the remaining patties.

Assembly

To assemble each Double-Double Animal Style burger, start with a toasted bottom bun and spread it with sauce. Add pickles, tomato, lettuce, the double meat and cheese onion stack, and the top bun. Serve immediately while the cheese is melted and the patties are hot.

• Bottom bun
• 1 tablespoon special sauce
• 4 pickle slices
• 1 tomato slice
• 2 torn lettuce leaves
• Double meat, double cheese, and onion stack
• Top bun

Enjoy these homemade Double-Double Animal Style burgers while they are hot, juicy, and freshly assembled.

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If you enjoy hearty beef recipes, this homemade Double-Double Animal Style burger is a flavorful choice for burger night.