Kenji’s delicious recipe for the Double Double Animal-Style Cheeseburger was such a spot on hit, I’ve carried it through to the next day to recreate the Animal Style French Fries to accompany it. Kenji declined to make the French fries because he declared that In-N-Out has never really been known for their fries. This, I hate to admit, is pretty true. The French fries were always the weakest link in the very short chain of a menu with only a double cheeseburger, cheeseburger, hamburger and fries on the menu.
The animal style French fries however are another story. They are wonderful, but with a fault. Because In-N-Out French fries are only fried once before serving you don’t get the ultra crispy fries you are used to in a fast food place. Any other burger shop you go to is going to fry frozen pre-fried potatoes so that they get the elusive double fry.
So I did what any self respecting fry enthusiast would do. I took the idea of the animal style French fries and fixed the only flaw it had, the single fry and instituted the important double fry. The result are a more crispy french fry that doesn’t immediately get soggy under the weight of its toppings.
Keep the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to skillet.
Reduce heat to medium low, and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally until onions are well browned, about 15 minutes.
Once onions begin to sizzle heavily and appear dry, add 1 tablespoon water to skillet and stir. Continue cooking until water evaporates and onions start sizzling again. Repeat process, adding 1 tablespoon of water with each iteration until onions are meltingly soft and dark brown, about 3 times total. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside while leaving any residual butter in the pan.
To make the animal fry spread: Add mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar to a small bowl 
Dry the potatoes. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until the fries start turning a bit whiter. 
Remove with slotted spoon and do the next batch. To double fry, put the potatoes back in the hot oil after they’ve cooled and fry a second time for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. 
Salt the fries when they just come out of the oil
Now put them in a plate 
cover with slices of American Cheese 
melted onions 
and the animal style spread 
Serve immediately! Because why would you want to wait to dig in to this… 
In 'n Out Animal French Fries (Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 large onion , finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons butter
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 4 slices deli-cut American Cheese
- 2 lbs russet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/4 inch fries
Instructions
- Keep the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to skillet.
Reduce heat to medium low, and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally until onions are well browned, about 15 minutes.
- Once onions begin to sizzle heavily and appear dry, add 1 tablespoon water to skillet and stir.
- Continue cooking until water evaporates and onions start sizzling again.
- Repeat process, adding 1 tablespoon of water with each iteration until onions are meltingly soft and dark brown, about 3 times total.
- Transfer to a small bowl and set aside while leaving any residual butter in the pan.
- To make the animal fry spread: Add mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Dry the potatoes. Heat oil to 365 degrees
Fry for 3-4 minutes or until the fries start turning a bit whiter.
- Remove with slotted spoon and do the next batch.
To double fry, put the potatoes back in the hot oil after they've cooled and fry a second time for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Place fries on plate, cover with slices of American Cheese, melted onions, and the animal style spread.
- Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes
Sauce and Onions adapted from Kenji at the Serious Eat's Food Lab.
The recipe was good. I soundly say that the spread tastes like in n out spread thou, it different. But the onions were like them. I didn’t try to make the fries I used waffle fries instead. It was pretty good after all but, the animal style French fries at in n out are better but it good. I eat in n out very often so I could tell the differences but if you never had in n out or don’t eat it very often then this recipe is an ok replacement.
For me the “Spread” is the best part. You say “To make the animal fry spread: Add mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine.”
I am not a Chef, but I want to make this, how much of each item to I use? Cup of this? Teaspoon of that? I just want to know so I don’t mess this up. Thank you!
Here is the link to the recipe: https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/in-n-out-burger-spread-sauce/
Enjoy!
I made these and they were delish! I’ve never been to a In n’ Out but heard about it from a colleague and had to try it.
I do find it difficult to believe that only one large onion was used for this recipe – I used three large onions and by the time they were done caramelizing it was still way less onion than shown.
Loved these! Waiting for taco bell nacho fries copy cat ?
Thank you….I’ll add it to my to do list!
Okay we get it commenters this looks good, it tastes great to people who’s never had the original, etc. lol Can someone who actually has made this and had had the original as well comment and tell me how accurate this is? An entertainer I like is in love with animal fries but I love nowhere NEAR and In and Out so want to ft as close of a copy cat as humanly possible.
Wolf,
I tried this recipe I live in Los Angeles and In-n-out is my fav and these were so good and it tasted exactly just like it. Just try it for fun and let me know what you think
Right how many people have actually tried this and not just saying it looks good. Did you try it? Is it good? We need more comments on that not that it looks good. Okay it looks good….Thank you Sabrina for posting you recipes the are the best could you try chick-fil-a nuggets?
I have that copycat recipe too.
https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/chick-fil-a-nuggets-copycat/
Enjoy!
Looks soooo good! I really miss In-n-Out.. Makes me want to live in Cali again! Quick tip: ask for your fries to be “well done” next time – they come out super crispy and wonderful.
Thanks for the tip Kristin! I will definitely try that. 🙂
What oil did you use to fry?
I fry in canola, to be totally authentic you’d have to use vegetable oil. 🙂
But the best oil for frying french fries is peanut oil. If you’re gonna go through the effort of making french fries, might as well do it the best you can, rather than trying to replicate In-N-Out’s rather inferior version exactly. And that also means adding the cold water soak before the first fry.
Oh this looks absolutely stunning and delish.
Thank you Anu!
Oh my goodness, the fries look amazing, too! I really have to try this.
Wow, these look so good! I’ve never been to an In and Out Burger, but will have to give these a try!
my goodness. this entire post has my mouth watering. woo! looks super yummy
Thanks Dawn!
Yum! I have no tried this fries before, but I will have to now!
These look so yummy. I only had In-N-Out once in San Francisco, now I can make the fries at home.
Thanks Nancy!
I have never tried fries like this before. They look so good. My kids are going to love them. I love trying new recipes.
I hope you all enjoy them!
These fries look so delicious. I wish i could make some right now. I will have to save this recipe to try on the weekend.
Hope you love them!
Well somebody likes to play with fire – don’t they? These would be dangerous in my house – might have to double the recipe!
YES! I had to leave the room while my husband ate the rest of it and I made him bring me food upstairs so I wasn’t around it anymore. THEY ARE THAT GOOD.