Description
Recreate the iconic In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style burger at home with this straightforward recipe. Featuring smashed, mustard-drizzled beef patties cooked in a hot skillet, toasted buttery buns, fresh veggies, and a tangy, creamy house sauce, these burgers deliver all the signature flavors of the beloved fast-food classic in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Beef Patties
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef, portioned into 6 balls (2 ½ oz each)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, shaved thin on a mandolin slicer
- 3 tsp yellow mustard (divided, for drizzling on patties)
Buns & Toppings
- 3 burger buns
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for toasting buns)
- 1 dill pickle, sliced
- 1 small tomato, thinly sliced
- ½ head iceberg lettuce, thinly shredded
- 6 slices American cheese
Animal Style Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise (reduced fat or regular)
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 ½ tbsp sweet pickle relish
- Dash of salt
- Dash of black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Animal Style Sauce: In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, white vinegar, sweet pickle relish, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until smooth and set aside to let flavors meld.
- Heat the Skillet: Place a medium cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat and allow it to get smoking hot, reaching approximately 450-500°F. This high heat is essential for creating crispy edges on the patties.
- Toast the Buns: Melt the unsalted butter in the hot skillet. Place the burger buns cut-side down and toast them for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Build the Base: Spread about 1 tablespoon of the prepared animal style sauce evenly on the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Layer on pickle slices, tomato, and shredded lettuce.
- Cook the Patties: Working quickly, place two small beef balls in the hot skillet. Immediately season them with kosher salt and top with thin onion slices. Use a spatula (with parchment paper underneath to prevent sticking) to smash the meatballs into thin patties. Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of yellow mustard over each patty. Cook the patties for 1-2 minutes until the edges become crispy.
- Flip and Add Cheese: Flip the patties carefully and place a slice of American cheese on each. Continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds or until the cheese melts perfectly over the hot patties.
- Assemble the Double-Double: For each burger, stack two cheese-topped patties on the prepared bun bottoms. Top with the remaining bun halves spread with any leftover sauce. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Using a cast-iron skillet and cooking over very high heat is key to achieving the signature crispy edges on the patties.
- Pressing the patties thinly with parchment paper prevents sticking and helps with even cooking.
- To make a classic single burger, use fewer patties as desired.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sauce and toppings according to your taste preferences.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled to serve more people easily.
