In-N-Out Animal Style Burger

The most popular item at In-N-Out is the animal style burger from the secret menu. But what is it?

What is Animal Style? The Legend

Legend has it that the name came from the rowdy surfer and skater kids who would hang out at the original In-N-Out location in Baldwin Park, California in the 1960s. The employees referred to them as animals because of their raucous behavior (In-N-Out employees are notoriously clean-cut), and after they started ordering mustard grilled burgers with grilled onion, spread, and pickles, that sandwich took on their name: the animal style burger. To this day you can still get your In-N-Out animal style burger, and you truly haven't lived until you've had in-and-out animal style fries (order them well-done).

What Makes a Burger Animal Style?

According toIn-N-Out's website, what separates animal style from a normal cheeseburger (with lettuce and tomato) is the following: The beef patty is grilled with mustard, topped with extra spread (AKA Thousand Island special sauce), pickles, and grilled, caramelized onions. If you're a vegetarian, you can also order animal style grilled cheese, which comes with all of the above, minus the beef patty.

What Makes Fries Animal Style?

Animal style fries come with melted American cheese and grilled chopped onions, and are smothered with In-N-Out's special sauce.

How to Make Animal Style at Home

To make animal style food at home, all you need is Thousand Island dressing, pickles, and caramelized onions. American cheese, which you may turn your nose up at initially, melts like a dream, so it's worth having some of that on hand too! You can add animal style toppings to everything from Tater Tots to hot dogs, veggie burgers to grilled chicken breast. Even if you can't make it to the West Coast, with these ingredients you can still indulge in all the glory of In-N-Out from the comfort of your own home.

No matter what coast you're on, the animal style burger can be made from the comfort of your home... and can we just say, this meal is COMFORTING.

For more fascinating food news similar to the In-N-Out animal style burger, like us on Facebook.

(Photo via Anna Monette Roberts)