it’s not as dirty as it sounds. if you’ve never had an in ‘n out burger, please go and find one and eat a single with cheese. if you are a veteran in ‘n out junkie, you are probably familiar with their “not-so-secret” menu. animal style has some very specific characteristics that start with a basic single with cheese, but the main difference is that the patty is grilled with mustard, and topped with grilled onions and “spread” on the sandwich.
i’ve been wanting to try recreating my all-time favorite burger at home for a while now and since sliders are sort of the trend these days, why not make them cute and bite-sized?
i was recently sent this link to a recipe for making a double double animal style. close enough. there’s not much to this recipe but the “spread” is key. and this recipe is pretty darn close to the real deal!
the onions are key too…you can’t rush. it takes a good 15-20 minutes to get them good and caramelized. so you know what to look for, here’s my onions in process:
here are a few more photos of the cooking process…
for the patties, i like to use a 1/4 cup scoop and then form them in my hands – put a little thumb print in the middle to avoid the “burger bump.”
put the mustard on one raw side while the first side is cooking. (i used my griddle…i think this is the closest i’ll ever come to flipping burgers!)
here is the delectable finished product. i served mine with some sweet potato fries.
here’s the recipe…enjoy!
in ‘n out animal style sliders
recipe yields 16 sliders
ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
kosher salt
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
16 dinner rolls
black pepper
dill pickles chips
roma tomatoes – sliced
ice berg lettuce
1/2 cup yellow mustard
4 slices american cheese
cooking instructions
heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt to skillet. reduce heat to medium low, stirring occasionally until onions are well browned. this process takes about 15-20 minutes – be patient, it’s worth the wait! when the onions start to sizzle add about 1 tablespoon water to skillet and stir. continue cooking until the water evaporates and onions start sizzling again. repeat this process, until your onions are nice and brown. remove from pan and set aside.
you can make the “spread” while your onions are doing their thing. combine mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar in small bowl. stir to combine and set aside.
form your patties using a 1/4 cup scoop. flatten to about 1/2″ and then make a thumb print in the middle. season generously with salt and pepper. add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil to pan, swirl to coat, and heat over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. add burger patties and cook without moving until well browned and crusty on first side, about 3 1/2 minutes. while patties are cooking, spread 1 teaspoon of yellow mustard on raw side of each patty with a spoon. flip patties with a thin spatula so mustard side is down and continue to cook for 1 1/2 minutes. top each patty with a slice of cheese (1 quartered american cheese slices.) spoon about a teaspoon of the onion mixture over the cooked patties. slice the dinner rolls and pop them under the broiler to give them a nice golden brown toast. prep each bottom bun with spread (i actually put spread on the top and bottom bun – but do what makes your skirt fly up), one pickle slice, 1 slice tomato, and lettuce. place the patty on the bottom bun. top with top bun, and serve immediately!
