There are burgers, and then there are burgers that haunt you. The Flying Dutchman Burger belongs firmly in the second category — a gloriously indulgent creation that strips away the bread and replaces it with two thick, juicy beef patties acting as the bun itself. Layers of melted cheese sandwiched between sizzling meat, with all your favorite toppings tucked inside, this burger is the stuff of late-night cravings and weekend obsessions. It sounds simple, but the execution is everything, and once you nail it, you’ll never look at a traditional burger the same way again.
The Flying Dutchman originally gained cult status at In-N-Out Burger, where it lives as a secret menu item whispered between devoted fans. Two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, nothing else — just pure, unapologetic meat and cheese harmony. Our homemade version takes that legendary foundation and builds something even more spectacular on top of it, adding caramelized onions, a special sauce, crispy pickles, and fresh toppings, all nestled between those two glorious patties. It’s low-carb, high-flavor, and absolutely unforgettable.
What makes this burger so magical is the contrast of textures and temperatures. The seared beef crust gives way to a tender, juicy interior. The cheese melts into every crevice, becoming almost a sauce of its own. The cool crunch of fresh lettuce and tomato cuts through the richness in exactly the right way. Whether you’re avoiding bread for dietary reasons or simply want to experience one of the most unapologetically beefy sandwiches ever conceived, the Flying Dutchman Burger is your answer. Let’s dive into everything you need to know to make this at home.
The Flying Dutchman Burger Recipe
✨ Recipe Card
Flying Dutchman Burger (In-N-Out Copycat)
Two juicy smashed beef patties sandwiched between golden caramelized onion slabs, blanketed in molten American cheese and a tangy homemade Big Mac-style sauce that drips down every edge.
⏱ Prep
10 mins
🍳 Cook
20 mins
⏰ Total
30 mins
🍽 Serves
2 servings
🥘 Ingredients
📋 Instructions
- 1. Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, sweet relish, white wine vinegar, and garlic powder in a small bowl until smooth; refrigerate sauce until ready to use
- 2. Heat a large cast iron skillet or flat griddle over medium-high heat and add avocado oil
- 3. Place onion rounds flat into the hot skillet and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and caramelized with charred edges; season lightly with salt and set aside
- 4. Divide ground beef into 4 equal loose balls and season generously with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper
- 5. Place each beef ball onto the hot skillet and immediately smash flat with a burger press or spatula to approximately 1/4-inch thickness
- 6. Cook patties for 2-3 minutes until edges are deeply browned and crispy, then flip once
- 7. Lay one slice of American cheese over each patty immediately after flipping and cook 1 minute more until cheese is fully melted and bubbling
- 8. Stack two cheese-covered patties together directly in the pan and let them fuse for 30 seconds
- 9. Place one caramelized onion round on a plate as the bottom ‘bun,’ top with the double stacked patties, spoon Big Mac-style sauce generously over the top, and crown with a second caramelized onion round
- 10. Serve immediately while cheese is still molten
💡 Tips & Notes
- • Use 80/20 ground beef for maximum juiciness — leaner beef will result in a drier, less flavourful patty
- • Choose onions that are wide in diameter (at least 3.5 inches across) so the onion rounds are large enough to function as buns
- • Press the onion rounds gently with your spatula while cooking to ensure even contact with the pan surface for consistent caramelization
- • The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator — the flavour deepens overnight
KitchenGuide101.com
Why the Flying Dutchman Works So Brilliantly
At first glance, using burger patties as the bun seems like a gimmick. But when you bite into a Flying Dutchman, you immediately understand why this concept has endured and thrived. The beef itself provides structural integrity while also delivering that savory, umami-packed punch that no bread roll could ever replicate. Every single bite is pure meat and cheese, with no filler, no starchy interference — just the essence of what makes a great burger great.
The key to making this work lies in the patty formation. You need patties that are wide enough to act as a vessel but not so thick that they become unwieldy. A six-ounce patty smashed to about half an inch thickness is the sweet spot. This gives you enough surface area to hold all your toppings without the whole thing collapsing in your hands. The smash technique also creates that gorgeous, lacey, caramelized crust that elevates the flavor profile from good to extraordinary.
The cheese choice matters enormously here. American cheese is the traditional and, frankly, correct choice for this application. Its superior meltability means it becomes almost molten, binding the two patties together like edible glue. If you insist on using something else, go for a young cheddar or a Colby Jack — anything with good melt properties. Sharp aged cheddars and blues will taste wonderful but won’t give you that silky, cohesive melt that defines the Flying Dutchman experience.
Choosing and Preparing Your Beef
The quality of your beef is non-negotiable when there’s nowhere to hide behind sauces and toppings. For the Flying Dutchman, you want ground beef with an eighty-twenty fat ratio — eighty percent lean, twenty percent fat. That fat content is what makes your patties juicy, flavorful, and able to develop that gorgeous crust on the griddle. Anything leaner will give you a dry, disappointing result that misses the entire point of this burger.
For the best flavor, grind your own beef at home using a mix of chuck and short rib. If you’re buying pre-ground beef, look for packages labeled “ground chuck” rather than just “ground beef,” as chuck typically has a better fat-to-lean ratio. Fresh, never frozen beef will give you a cleaner, sweeter flavor that really shines when the only seasoning is salt and pepper.
- 80/20 ground beef (chuck is ideal)
- Season generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Form loose balls rather than tightly packed patties
- Keep the beef cold until the moment it hits the pan
- Never press the patties while cooking unless smashing at the start
Season your beef aggressively on the outside just before cooking. A heavy pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on both sides is all you need. The salt will draw a tiny bit of moisture to the surface, which helps create that incredible Maillard reaction crust when it hits the hot cooking surface. Don’t season your beef ahead of time and let it sit, as this can draw out too much moisture and affect the texture.
The Special Sauce and Toppings
While the original Flying Dutchman is purely patties and cheese, our elevated version includes a special sauce that ties everything together beautifully. This sauce is inspired by classic burger spreads — creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, with a hint of heat. It complements the richness of the beef without overpowering it, and you’ll want to put it on everything once you’ve made a batch.
- Half a cup of mayonnaise
- Two tablespoons of ketchup
- One tablespoon of yellow mustard
- Two tablespoons of finely diced dill pickles
- One teaspoon of pickle brine
- Half a teaspoon of garlic powder
- Half a teaspoon of smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the toppings, simplicity is your friend. Thinly sliced iceberg lettuce provides crunch without overwhelming moisture. Ripe tomato slices add acidity and freshness. Thinly sliced white onion or beautifully caramelized onions (depending on your preference) add depth and sweetness. Dill pickle chips are essential — their brininess cuts through all that rich beef and cheese in the most satisfying way imaginable. You can find excellent guides on burger assembly and technique at KitchenGuide101.com if you want to explore even more variations and tips.
Cooking Technique for the Perfect Flying Dutchman
The cooking surface you choose will dramatically affect the outcome of your Flying Dutchman. A cast iron skillet or a flat griddle is ideal — these surfaces retain and distribute heat evenly, giving you a consistent sear across the entire surface of the patty. Avoid non-stick pans for this application, as they simply cannot achieve the high temperatures needed for a proper crust without damaging the coating.
Get your cooking surface ripping hot before the beef ever touches it. You should see a light wisp of smoke rising from the pan when it’s ready. Add a thin layer of neutral oil — canola or vegetable — and let it heat until it shimmers. Then place your beef ball directly onto the surface and immediately smash it down firmly with a heavy spatula or burger press. Hold the pressure for ten to fifteen seconds. You’ll hear the sear happening, and that sound is pure joy.
- Cook the first side for two to three minutes without moving
- Flip once and immediately add two slices of American cheese
- Add a splash of water and cover to create steam for perfect melt
- Cook the second side for ninety seconds to two minutes
- Rest the patties for one minute before assembling
The cheese melt is a critical step. After flipping your patty, lay two slices of American cheese directly on top and add a small splash of water to the pan, then cover immediately. The steam created will melt the cheese in about thirty seconds into a perfectly glossy, flowing blanket. This technique, borrowed from classic diner cookery, is what separates a good cheeseburger from a transcendent one.
Assembling Your Flying Dutchman Masterpiece
Assembly order matters more than most people realize. Start with your bottom patty, cheese-side up. Spread a generous amount of your special sauce directly onto the cheese — this anchors the toppings and keeps them from sliding around. Layer your iceberg lettuce next, followed by tomato slices, then pickles, then onions. The order creates a moisture barrier between the toppings and the beef, keeping everything crisp and distinct.
Spread another layer of special sauce on the top patty, cheese-side down, before placing it on top of your tower. Press gently to help everything bond together. The melted cheese on both patties will help the whole construction stick together far better than you might expect. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add a strip of crispy bacon between the layers — it nestles in beautifully and adds a smoky crunch that takes this burger into truly legendary territory.
Serve your Flying Dutchman immediately. This is not a burger that waits patiently — it wants to be eaten the moment it comes together, while the beef is still hot, the cheese still molten, and the lettuce still crisp. Pair it with crispy shoestring fries or a simple green salad if you want something lighter to balance the indulgence. However you choose to serve it, the Flying Dutchman Burger is a meal that demands your full, undivided attention — and rewards it completely.
