In-N-Out Style Double Smash Burger
Crispy-edged double smash patties with melted American cheese, caramelized onions, and a copycat In-N-Out spread on a toasted buttered bun. The famous drive-thru double-double, made in your own kitchen — and honestly better.
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
Patties
- 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 slices American cheese
- Oil, for cooking
In-N-Out style sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or pickle juice
- 2 tbsp caramelized onions
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
To assemble
- 6 soft hamburger buns
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
- 1/3 cup caramelized onions
- 1/2 cup pickles
- 1 cup lettuce leaves
- Butter, for toasting
Method
- 1
Combine all the sauce ingredients until smooth, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld.
- 2
Divide the beef into 2–3 oz portions and form loose balls — don't season until they hit the pan.
- 3
Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over high heat and lightly oil it.
- 4
Place the beef balls on the hot surface and immediately smash them into thin patties. Season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Cook 1–2 minutes until the edges are crispy, flip, and lay a slice of American cheese on each patty. Cook until melted.
- 6
Stack two patties together so the cheese fuses the layers.
- 7
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast until golden.
- 8
Spread sauce on the bottom bun, layer pickles, lettuce and tomato, add the double cheese-fused patties and caramelized onions, more sauce if you like, then crown with the top bun.
- 9
Enjoy ..
Tips
- A heavy spatula (or a second pan pressed on top) gets the thinnest, crispiest smash.
- Don't move the patty once smashed — that crust IS the flavor.
- Make the sauce a day ahead; it genuinely tastes closer to the real thing after resting.
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