copycat in & out "grilled onion wrapped flying dutchman" (2024)

If you haven’t been on the side of TikTok that is swapping out their burger buns at In & Out for a full slice of grilled onions i’m here to show you what you have (or in some peoples opinion) have not been missing out on.

what is in & out?

In & Out is a popular fast food chain that’s based in California. In the Midwest the closest we get to an In & Out is probably Portillo’s. They might look at me funny if I asked for a grilled onion wrapped burger. I could get away with asking for a lettuce wrap burger but probably not grilled onions.

full disclaimer

Before you spend time making this I think I have to make a disclaimer these are messy and hard to eat with your hands like I see people doing online but if you are like me and don’t care because you have to see what the hype is about then proceed. (I really enjoyed them and even more so eating them with a fork and knife!) I do try and share super easy, realistic meal ideas however this is just a fun trend I wanted to try out and honestly will make again.

Here is everything needed to recreate this viral TikTok food trend at home

copycat in & out onion wrapped flying dutchman

servings : 2

time : 45min

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef (I prefer 85-15)

• 4 deli deluxe american cheese slices

• 1 large white or yellow onion

• 1 tsp worsteshire sauce

• 1/2 tbsp of your favorite burger seasoning (click here for the one I used)

• 2 tsp yellow mustard

• pickled yellow hot chili peppers

• splash of balsamic vinegar

• salt

• pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the burger sauce :

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup dill pickles

• 2 tbsp ketchup

• 2 tsp monk fruit sweetener (or sugar)

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tbsp pickle juice or white vinegar

step 1: finely chop up your hot chili peppers & pickles

Using a sharp knife thinly slice 3-4 peppers per burger and finely dice about 1/4 cup dill pickles. I like using the brand Grillos or Claussen pickles. Both can be find in the fridge section of the grocery store. The brand of chili peppers is Mezzetta, found near the pickle aisle. Hot chili peppers are very essential to the burger otherwise everything is basically the same texture. So don’t skip these!

step 2: slice and sauté the onion in a large non-stick pan with some oil

Using the same knife and a cutting board, peel and slice an onion into thin slices. You will need 4 that are approx. 1/4 in.

Get a large nonstick pan hot, add a touch of oil, all the slices of onions, and to the top of the onions add more oil, salt and pepper. Let sit on medium low heat for 5-7 minutes while you prepare the beef.

I like to put my chef press on top of the onions while they cook. If you don’t have a chef press you can skip this or place something heavy and heat resistant on top of onions to keep them flat.

step 3: add burger sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a small rubber spatula or spoon

Another disclaimer I should add. You could really do this before slicing the onions but I would rather be doing something else than standing and watch onions slowly carmelize. (They kind of take awhile.) So when you make the sauce is really up to you. Start by mixing all of the burger ingredients to a bowl or plastic container. This recipe makes more burger sauce than you will need so feel free to cut in half. We eat burgers a lot so I like making a bigger batch of this.

step 4: carefully flip onions using two spatulas

Flip all slices of onions (as long as they have a little bit of color to them). I find this easiest to do with two spatulas while pressing down on the middle while I flip it over. My chefs press weights also came in handy for this recipe to keep the onions flat in the pan. Continue to cook on medium-low heat for an additional 5 minutes.

step 5: season ground beef in a large bowl and roll into 4 equal size balls

Add the ground beef to a large bowl, add 1/2 tbsp of any burger seasoning of choice and 1-2 tsp Worcestershire. Mix thoroughly. I like to do this wearing gloves using my hands. Section the ground beef mixture into 4 sections and roll 4 equal size balls of ground beef. Set on a plate or tray until the onions are done.

step 6: flip onions (again)

Once the onions are a little soft you can turn the heat up a bit to really get a nice char on the onions. They do not have to be perfect and if they fall apart in the middle that’s okay just do your best to keep them all in tact when you flip. The faster I go in to flip the easier it seems to be.

step 7: add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the onions and turn up the heat for 1-2 minutes

When the onions are close to being done, add a small splash of balsamic vinegar and turn the heat up to medium - high. Continue flipping (if needed) until onions are soft and caramelized. Transfer them to parchment paper (carefully) when they are done.

step 8: add burgers to the pan on med-high heat, smash down with spatulas, brush the top with mustard and cook on med-high heat 3-4 minutes

Add a touch of oil to the pan (if needed) and place your balls of ground beef in there. Do not over crowd the pan (cook two at a time if needed). Smash each one down with a spatula or two to get the flattest burger patties possible. Sear on high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until fully cooked. (Pro tip : In & Out apparently frys their burger in mustard - so on the other side brush the yellow mustard over the top of the burger to fry in when you flip!)

step 9: when burgers are almost done melt cheese on top

Put a tbsp of water in the pan while it is still hot. (Not on top of the burger but to the side of the pan.) When you put the water in the pan it should be hot enough to bubble quite a bit to create steam. This is my favorite way to melt cheese on anything - by steaming it. Cover the pan with a lid right after adding the water and let the water create enough steam to melt the cheese. It should take 1-2 minutes.

step 10: layer two patties on top of each other and stack that on top of the grilled onions

Layer the patties with melted cheese on top of each other and then add on to the top of the grilled onion slices.

step 11: add hot chili peppers (if desired), burger sauce and try your best to not get messy

Top the burgers with the chopped chili peppers and the other slice of onion. I like to add the burger sauce as I eat it otherwise it gets way too messy.

I cut the parchment paper in half and wrapped it in that to try the first bite but then ended eating with a fork and knife. If you guys try this out be sure to tag me on IG and let me know what you think :)