When I was growing up in California, the only In-n-Out Burger drive throughs were in LA. I was from the north so going to In-n-Out Burger was always a special occasion.
I remember while at university, my friends and I would all pile into a car with a case or two of beer and drive the five hours to LA to chow down on double doubles!
We'd purchase about ten double doubles each and bring them back with us for the five hour drive back home. If only I knew the copycat In-n-Out burger recipe back then!
I had a friend who didn't have a driving licence but he also didn't drink so he was our designated driver. Petrol was a lot less expensive back then.
Now the In-n-Out Burger chain is much larger with restaurants all over the West Coast, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. Whenever I go home it's one of the first place we stop.
So when I was there last year I purchased a few and took them back to my parent's house. I was determined to copy the recipe and came up with this copycat In-n-Out burger recipe.
Now I can have In-n-Out Double Doubles whenever I want and you can too.
This recipe is exact. I promise you, there is no difference between this and the real thing.
It's very important to use the best quality beef you can find. Use a good butcher and forget the supermarket. The lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion all need to be fresh from the fridge. American cheese is a must.
Here in the UK I use Walburton burger buns which are quite close to those used at In-n-Out.
Freshness is key as I showed last week with my Big Mac recipe. You also need to stack your double double exactly as shown.
This is one of the reasons it is so good. You bite into the burger... the bottom of your mouth gets the amazing flavour of the special sauce, pickles, tomato and lower burger and cheese.
The top of your mouth gets to enjoy the top bun, burger and cheese. Then your teeth meet right in the centre at the crisp cold onion. You won't want the experience to end.
Special sauce recipe
Mix 3 tablespoons mayonaise, 1 tablespoon catsup, 1 teaspoon finely chopped dill pickle, 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion, ½ teaspoon French’s yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. You will have enough for four sandwiches.
If you like this copycat In-n-Out burger recipe, you might like to try some of these too...
How to make and In-n-Out lettuce wrap burger
Louis' Lunch Burger
Juicy Lucy burger
Squeeze burger
Oklahoma onion burger
Recipe
How To Make A Homemade In-n-Out Double Double Burger
Ingredients
- 1 top and bottom burger bun
- 140g top quality minced beef (ask your butcher for a 60% meat 40% fat mix) This is very important
- 3 sliced of lettuce cut to the same size as the bun
- 1 tomato slice cut to the same size as the bun.
- 1 onion slice about the same size as the bun
- 4 - 5 dill pickle slices (At In-n-Out they use four but I couldn't find any big enough so I used five)
- 2 teaspoons French's yellow mustard
- 2 pieces of American cheese
- 1 tablespoon special sauce (recipe above)
Instructions
- Divide the beef into two equal sized ball and then flatten with a spatula until they are about the same size as the bottom bun.
- Season generously with salt and pepper and then fry over high heat for about two minutes.
- Spread one teaspoon of the mustard on the rare side and then flip over.
- Place a piece of cheese on top of each burger and cook for a further two minutes. Then flip one last time so that the cheese is on the grill for about 30 seconds. Remove and keep warm.
- Working quickly, spread the special sauce over the bottom bun followed by the pickles, tomato and lettuce.
- Now stack one of the burgers on top of the lettuce.
- Top this burger with the sliced onion and then the other burger.
- Place the top bun on the burger and enjoy with one or two cold lagers.
I hope you enjoy this copycat In-n-Out burger recipe. If you do try it, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.