This Loaded or Animal Fries recipe is so easy and you won't have to leave the house to get your fix of delicious fries. If you want something that tastes just like it came from your favourite burger place, or if you have a sports party or need to feed teenagers then give these loaded fries a try! I promise that these will be a total hit!
About These Loaded Animal Fries
If you've been to any burger food truck you may have seen loaded fries on the menu next to the burgers. They're basically the ingredients of a burger served atop French fries. They include a melted cheese sauce, onions, beef burger mince and burger sauce. They're so moreish to eat but are so simple to make!
What are Animal Fries? "Animal fries" are the name of the In and Out loaded fries. These are French fries that come with cheese, onions and burger sauce but usually without the beef mince. Rather than making a cheese sauce, In and Out just place a couple of slices of American cheese on their fries and then they sort of melt but they don't melt well enough IYKWIM. Every time I eat them I wish the cheese was properly melted.
I decided to make these loaded fries as I had a huge amount of American cheese leftover from making Smash burgers because I could only find them at Costco. Even if I had a few Smash burger parties I'd still have loads of it leftover! So loaded fries it was! They use lots of American cheese in the cheese sauce (and even then I still had plenty left haha)! The cheese sauce for this is the easiest thing you'll ever make and requires just two ingredients and is made in less than 5 minutes!
Ingredients for Loaded Fries
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Frozen French fries - you can use any type of fry so if you prefer thicker cut, go with those (and there's definitely an argument to be made for fatter chips and structural integrity when lifting loaded fries).
Onion - I use brown onions (the "no cry" onions).
Beef burger patties - you can use the same patties as the Smash burgers which are an 80/20 lean and fat mix of chuck and brisket.
American cheese - please don't @ me if you think American cheese is too processed. It is, but it also makes amazing Smash burgers and I had 120 slices of it so I wanted to use it all up. American cheese makes a great 2 ingredient cheese sauce that is perfect for loaded fries and you can bet that's exactly what your burger place is using in their sauce too! This cheese sauce also works with a processed cheese like Kraft singles although it will be paler in colour as it reflects the colour of the cheese.
Milk - I use full cream milk to make the sauce.
Mayonnaise - use your favourite mayonnaise be it Hellmans, Kewpie or Best Foods.
Tomato sauce/ketchup - again, use your favourite one!
Gherkin relish - this was a bit hard to find as only one supermarket chain sells this now whereas it used to be easily available. In Australia it's by brand Masterfoods and is found at Coles.
Dijon mustard - to give the sauce an acidity.
Vinegar salt - seriously, nothing goes better with potatoes than vinegar salt!
Tips For Making Loaded Animal Fries
1 - At first I was tempted to add pickles and tomato to the loaded fries but it really doesn't need them! Seriously, less is more when it comes to ingredients.
2 - Make sure to not overload the fries on the baking tray. They need to be separated and on a single layer. I also switched the rack of the two trays halfway so that they would get even browning. You can also deep fry your French fries too.
3 - The cheese sauce will not work with real cheese, only processed cheese like American cheese or Kraft singles. Sorry! I like to melt and heat the cheese sauce just before everything else is ready although you can keep it on a very low heat on the stove. You can also make the cheese sauce in the microwave, just cook for 30 seconds at 50% power stirring in between until it is smooth.
4 - You can also freeze American cheese so if you really won't use it all, it can freeze for 2-3 months.
5 - I also actually like loaded fries with raw onion too because I think it adds acidity to the fries.
6 - If you don't want to make your own burger sauce, you can buy it at the supermarket. The Heinz burger sauce isn't bad (not sponsored).
Step 1 - First mix up the burger sauce ingredients in a bowl by mixing the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, relish and mustard together until well combined. In a small saucepan add the chopped up American cheese and milk and have it ready for when you want to heat it up at the end. Then preheat oven to 200C/400F and line two baking trays with parchment. Spread out French fries in a single layer and cook for 22 minutes. Switch tray positions in the oven halfway to ensure even cooking.
Step 2 - While the fries are baking, heat a frying pan on medium heat and add the oil. Sauté the onions for 9-10 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Scoop out and set aside in a bowl. Then turn the heat up to high and fry the beef burger patties making sure to crumble them up into mince with the spatula. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through and browned. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside in another bowl.
Step 3 - Three minutes before the fries are ready, start heating up the cheese and milk. Heat on low heat and stir, it will seem like it won't come together but it will. Do not boil, keep on a low simmer and stir until you get a smooth cheese sauce. Spread the fries out on a platter and season with vinegar salt or salt. Top with the beef mince, then the melted cheese, then the onion and then the burger sauce. Serve while hot!
Personal Note
I love the term animal fries. It sort of describes some wild fries but really it's just putting a burger topping on top of French fries. Speaking of wild, sometimes I really see how "wild" Mr NQN is. Every morning he makes himself a bowl of oatmeal porridge. He could never imagine not having it and if I suggest something else he shakes his head and refuses.
"Teddy and Milo love it too," he said. He explained that the two pups always ask him for some of his bowl of oatmeal. I pictured tiny Teddy and enthusiastic Milo both sitting up and patting his leg for some oatmeal. Then one morning I gave him some bowls so that he could give the dogs some oatmeal.
"Naaaah, I don't need it, I just put some of their bed," he said.
"You put the wet oatmeal on their actual bed???" I asked, aghast. We are definitely on the opposite ends of the clean scale.
"Yeah they lick it up quickly!" he said defensively, "It saves washing a bowl."
I told him that it is just not hygienic but I'm afraid that it has fallen on deaf ears and no matter how many times I tell him not to, he'll continue plonking down a spoonful of wet oatmeal on the dogs' fabric covered bed.
Sometimes he's just so wild I can't believe it!
So tell me Dear Reader, would you be bothered by the wet oatmeal or do you think it makes sense? Do you like loaded fries?
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