In-N-Out Burgers are not Halal, but you can easily make them at home. Here’s a recipe on how to do it using meat from your Halal butcher.
About this recipe
- These burgers are meant to be griddled, as in cooked on a flat-top surface, not grilled. Our recommended cooking pan is a 12-inch cast iron skillet available on Amazon for $35. A cast-iron skillet can be heated over a grill on top of coals or primary burner.
- When getting meat from your Halal butcher, ask for ground beef that is 80/20. The meat should be 80% lean beef, and 20% fat, ground twice, regular thickness.
- If you want to feed a crowd, you may need to cook with two pans since these are double cheeseburgers and take up twice as much space on your cooking surfaces. Adjust accordingly, or cook and serve in batches.
- This recipe is based off of J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s In-N-Out’s Double-Double, Animal Style recipe.
Total Time: 45 min
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 10 min
Yield: 2 burgers, feeds 2 people
Level: Easy
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions
Vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher salt
For the Animal sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
For the burgers
1 lb freshly ground beef (preferably chuck/shoulder), 80 percent lean, ground twice
2 soft classic white Hamburger buns
Freshly ground black pepper
8 dill pickles chips
2 quarter-inch-thick slices ripe tomato
2 large leaves fresh iceberg lettuce
Yellow mustard in squirt bottle
4 slices American Cheese
Instructions
1. Caramelize the onions.
In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften and lightly brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the onions. Repeat this process of lightly browning the onions, adding water, and stirring until the onions become deep golden brown, very soft, and sweet. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
2. Make the Animal sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet relish, sugar, and vinegar. Set aside.
3. Form the patties.
Using a scale, weigh out 2-ounce (about 1/4 cup) balls of beef and form them into thin, wide patties that are slightly wider than the hamburger buns, laying them in a large tray on layers of parchment paper, 8 patties total. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to cook. This step can be done up to one day in advance with freshly ground beef.
5. Season the patties. Just before cooking, season each with freshly ground pepper and a healthy amount of salt, more if using coarse or Kosher salt. Carefully flip the patties with a thin metal spatula and season the other sides. Seasoning while the patties are refrigerator cold will keep them together and prevent them from breaking apart.
5. Toast, broil, and top the buns.
Set the oven or toaster to 400 degrees. Toast the buns closed on a sheet pan until just starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven and switch it to the broiler mode. Open the buns and place them six inches under the broiler element or flame. Broil until dark golden brown on top but not burnt. Remove the buns and prepare as desired with the Animal sauce, pickles, tomato, and lettuce.
6. Cook and top the patties.
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet set to high heat. When the oil starts just begins to whisp smoke add four patties to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-high. Squirt a swirl of mustard on the top side of the patties, up to 1 tablespoon total. When the sides of the burger begin to look cooked and juices come out from the top of the patties, scrape and flip them with a thin metal spatula. While the mustard side of the patties cook, top them with slices of American cheese folded by one-third on themselves. Working quickly, top two of the patties with a tablespoon of caramelized onions.
7. Assemble the final burger and serve.
Top each of the bottom halves of the prepared buns with an onion-topped patty, centering it to sit securely. Top with the other cheese-only topped patty and close off the burger with the toasted and broiled top bun. Serve immediately.