In-N-Out Animal Style Burger

Go beast mode with this copycat cheese burger animal style. It comes with enough caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, special spread, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles to satisfy even the most primal hunger.

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What makes the In-N-Out Animal Style burger so good?

In-N-Out Animal Style hamburgers may be the worst-kept secret menu item ever. But when something is this delicious, people will talk.

Still, the question remains, what is an Animal style burger? It all starts by brushing the hamburger patty with mustard before it hits the pan. Add thick-cut cheddar, caramelized onions, crispy lettuce, juicy tomato slices, tangy pickles, and a signature spread. You wind up with an unforgettable cheeseburger.

Why you’ll love this Animal-style burger recipe

Although you can find dozens of In-N-Out locations on the West Coast, they don’t exist in most other areas of the country. Those not lucky enough to live near one can now recreate one of the most iconic fast food items in your own kitchen with this copycat version.

Even if there’s an In-N-Out around the corner, why not make your own and save money while ensuring you use only the best ingredients?

In and Out Burger Animal Style ingredients 

For the spread, you’ll need:

• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Sweet pickle relish
• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• Apple cider vinegar

For the onions, you’ll need:

• Olive oil
• Brown sugar
• Yellow onion chopped

For the burger patties, you’ll need:

• Ground beef
• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• Yellow mustard

Use 80/20 medium ground chuck. 

For finishing the Animal Style Cheeseburgers, you’ll need:

• Cheddar cheese, sliced
• Hamburger buns
• Dill Pickle chips
• Green leaf lettuce
• Tomatoes, sliced 

Thick-sliced yellow American cheese is what they serve at the restaurant, but feel free to substitute your favorite cheese. 

How to make an Animal Style Burger

To prepare the spread:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, ground black pepper, salt, and apple cider vinegar. 
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.

To caramelize the onions:

1. Put a pan over medium-low heat.
2. Dice the yellow onions and add to the hot pan with olive oil and brown sugar. Stir well. The brown sugar speeds up the caramelization process, and you can leave it out if you want. 
3. Cook uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes (longer without the brown sugar) or until the onions caramelize. Stir from time to time. You have plenty of time to finish cooking the burgers while the onions are on the stove. 

To cook the burgers:

1. In a medium bowl, use your hands to lightly mix the ground chuck with ground black pepper and salt. Try not to compress the meat too much, or you’ll end up with overly dense burgers. 
2. Form four patties that are just slightly wider than the buns you are using. Set off to the side to rest.
3. Heat a non-stick large skillet, grill pan, or flat top to medium.
4. Place the beef patties on the top of the cooking surface and cover. Cook for three to four minutes, depending on how you like your burgers. 
5. Brush yellow mustard on top of the patties and flip. Cook the opposite side for another three to four minutes. 
6. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate and cover each patty with a slice of cheese. 

To finish Animal Style Cheeseburgers:

1. Pour out the excess fat from the skillet, return to the heat, and lightly toast the cut side of the buns to golden brown.
2. Start assembling the burgers by spooning the special spread onto the bottom bun. Put the pickle chips on the spread. 
3. Next comes a leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato. Place the patty on the tomato and top with the caramelized onion.
4. Put more spread on the top bun, and then place the top bun on the burger.
5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. 

What to serve with Animal Style Cheeseburgers

• French fries. Crisp, golden French fries are the classic side dish to have with a cheese burger Animal Style. Or go all out with animal style fries.
• Shakes. Thick and creamy milkshakes go great with a burger. Keep things simple with chocolate or vanilla, or try something more exotic. Try dipping fries in the shake. It’s so much better than it sounds!
• Onion rings. From light and airy to thick and hearty, onion rings combine salty and sweet flavors and add a lot of crunch to your meal. 

How to store it 

Assembled burgers will get soggy after only a few hours in the fridge, so try to keep each component of the recipe in a separate airtight container. Do not refrigerate the buns. 

What is the best way to reheat the burger?

Reheating burgers on the stovetop tends to dry them out. It is much better to warm them in the oven.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Remove the cheese from the burger patty and reserve.
3. Place the burger on aluminum foil and sprinkle some water on top. 
4. Wrap the burger loosely in the aluminum foil and place it directly on the rack. Heat for 7 to 10 minutes or until hot.

Favorite fast food burger recipes

• Big Mac
• Burger King Cheeseburger
• Culver’s Butter Burger
• Krystal Burger
• McDonald’s Burger
• Quarter Pounder
• Steak and Shake Garlic Burger
• Wendy’s Baconator
• White Castle Burger

Popular fast food sandwiches

• Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich
• Chick Fil A Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Starbucks Grilled Cheese
• Whataburger Patty Melt

Check out more of my easy burger recipes and the best copycat fast food recipes on CopyKat!