Authentic Oklahoma-Style Onion Burger
Everybody knows Oklahoma is where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain. But did you know it’s also where the iconic onion burger originated?
The year was 1920-something. In the grip of the Great Depression, Americans were hungry, meat was expensive but onions were cheap. Before too long, a savvy Oklahoma restaurant owner saw the opportunity and started bolstering his burger patties with sautéed onions. The rest, as they say, is history.
While it’s tough to replicate the well-seasoned griddles and decades of practice found at iconic Oklahoma burger joints, our Authentic Oklahoma-Style Onion Burger gets pretty darn close to capturing the distinctive onion-packed essence. The key not only lies in shredding or mincing the onions as finely as possible so the beef can absorb all their rich flavor, but also in the assembling of the burger itself. In our version, we place the onions on top of each smashed patty and cook until the meat is browned on the bottom. After flipping the patties and adding two slices of cheese, we add both halves of the buns on top of each patty, allowing the steam to flavor and soften the buns to mouthwatering perfection.
The scent of these burgers is enough to make you giddy, a feeling that’s surpassed only by the first bite. The caramelized onions, the juicy patty with its slightly crispy edges…our mouths water just thinking about it. In the truly classic style, an Oklahoma-style onion burger is served just as it is, no extra fuss or frills. But our suggestion? A side of pickles and yellow mustard are just the right accouterments, enhancing all the authentic flavors without stealing any of the onion’s spotlight. Sink your teeth in and enjoy!
4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 large sweet onions
Kosher salt, to taste
8 slices American cheese
4 burger buns, sliced in half
Yellow mustard, for serving
Kosher pickle spears, for serving
Directions
- Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions, shape into balls and place them on a sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Peel and cut the onions in half. Using a mandoline, slice as thinly as possible. Set aside.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is smoking, place the 4 ground beef balls into the skillet. Use a large metal spatula to smash the beef into very thin patties. Season with salt.
- Immediately place ¼ of the sliced onions on top of each patty. Cook until the burgers are browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Flip the patties so the onions are on the bottom. Place two slices of cheese on top of each patty.
- Place both halves of each bun on top of the burgers so the steam flavors and softens the buns (it’s ok if some of the buns overlap). Continue to cook until the buns are warm and soft and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the buns to a serving platter. Use a metal spatula to scoop one patty along with a pile of onions onto each bottom bun. Cover the burgers with the bun tops and serve with yellow mustard and pickles on the side.
Recipe source: Ingredient
