Unleash your inner fast food-destroying beast with these animal-style fries. In the eternal struggle between the East and West Coast for burger chain supremacy, In-N-Out Burger has always been at the front of the pack. And that goes for the burger AND French fry comparisons. Get in close; as an East Coast girl, I must whisper for this next part—animal-style fries are freakin’ delicious. The secret menu side can be found at any one of over 350 In-N-Out locations throughout southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, and Colorado. Lucky for those of us who can’t drive to one, I’ve cracked the code on how to make a nearly identical version at home. These fries are hearty enough to eat on their own, but nobody would be mad at a juicy burger.
Animal-style fries might be from a secret menu, but they’re also pretty simple—crispy golden shoestring fries get covered with American cheese slices, grilled onions, and creamy Thousand Island-esque dressing. Instead of slapping a slice of cheese on top, I made an insanely easy cheese sauce using just 2 ingredients. A saucy, even layer of cheese means that every fry will have an equal opportunity to bathe in gooey American cheese glory.
Ingredients
- Neutral oil, for frying (about 6 cups)
- 1/2 c.mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp.ketchup
- 2 tbsp.sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp.distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp.yellow mustard
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp.unsalted butter
- 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 16 oz.frozen shoestring French fries, divided
- 6 oz.American cheese, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 1/3 c.whole milk
Directions
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- Step 1In a heavy, 5-quart Dutch oven or pot fitted with a deep-fry or candy thermometer, heat oil over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 375°.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, vinegar, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine.
- Step 3In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is well browned and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer onions to a small bowl; set aside.
- Step 4Using a metal spider, lower half of fries into oil and cook, stirring to keep fries from sticking together, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Using spider, transfer fries to a paper towel-lined sheet tray; season with a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining fries.
- Step 5In a small heatproof bowl, microwave cheese and milk in 30-second increments, whisking in between, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Step 6Top fries with cheese mixture, then cooked onions, and finish with animal sauce.
