In-N-Out Animal Style Burger
An In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style costs about $5.50 — a steal for a restaurant burger. But if you don’t live near one of their limited locations (or you want to make a dozen for a cookout), this recipe nails the mustard-grilled patty, the sweet grilled onions, and that iconic spread for roughly $2.75 per burger. The three things that make Animal Style special: the patty is cooked with yellow mustard pressed directly into the griddle, the onions are grilled (not raw), and there’s extra spread on both buns.
Pro Tips
- The mustard grill is everything — do not skip it. This is the single most important technique that separates Animal Style from a regular cheeseburger. The mustard hits the hot griddle, caramelizes, and creates a tangy, slightly crispy layer that you cannot replicate any other way. Use French’s yellow mustard specifically — fancy Dijon won’t work here.
- Smash within 10 seconds. The moment the beef ball touches the griddle, you have a narrow window to smash it thin before the proteins set. If you wait too long, the patty will resist flattening and you’ll end up with a thick, uneven disc instead of a thin, crispy-edged patty.
- American cheese is non-negotiable. It’s the only cheese with the right melt, creaminess, and mild tang for this burger. Cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack — all wrong. American cheese was literally engineered to melt perfectly on a hot patty, and this is the dish where it earns its place.
The Michelin Twist
Here are some ways to dress it up:
- Duck fat-griddled patties with whole-grain mustard: Cook the smash patties in rendered duck fat instead of on a dry griddle, and replace the yellow mustard with Maille whole-grain Dijon. The duck fat adds a luxurious richness to the crust, while the whole-grain mustard pops with texture and a more complex, wine-forward tang.
- Cipollini onion confit: Instead of diced grilled onions, halve a dozen cipollini onions and slowly confit them in olive oil with thyme and garlic at 275°F for 90 minutes until they’re meltingly soft and caramelized throughout. The delicate sweetness of cipollini is more refined than yellow onion and adds an elegant layer.
- Milk bread bun with everything seasoning butter: Replace the standard bun with a homemade Japanese milk bread (shokupan) bun, toasted in butter mixed with everything bagel seasoning. The impossibly soft, slightly sweet milk bread paired with savory, seedy butter creates a bun that’s a destination in itself.
Cost Breakdown
| Ingredient | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef (80/20) | 1 1/4 lbs | $6.25 |
| American cheese | 8 slices | $1.20 |
| Hamburger buns | 4 buns | $1.50 |
| Yellow onion | 1 large | $0.50 |
| Pickles | 1/4 jar | $0.50 |
| Mustard, mayo, ketchup | assorted | $0.50 |
| Butter | 2 tbsp | $0.25 |
| Relish and seasonings | assorted | $0.30 |
| Total | $11.00 |
Compare to $22.00 for four Double-Doubles Animal Style at In-N-Out — save 50%
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Calories: 610
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 38g
- Carbs: 32g
