Cheesy, meaty Oklahoma onion burgers pack big flavor.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
What a burger!
An Oklahoma onion burger is small, even unassuming, but so flavorful.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
The onions truly are the star of the show.
Don’t be intimidated by how many onions you’ll use.
It pays off gloriously in the end.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
What Is an Oklahoma Onion Burger?
Enter the “Depression burger.”
Homer Davis and his son, Ross, were running the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Oklahoma.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
What Does an Oklahoma Onion Burger Taste Like?
What makes the onion burger distinct is how the burger is cooked: These burgers weresmashburgersbefore smashburgers were cool.
Then, it’s topped with loads of thinly-shaved onions.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
A slice of American cheese is added atop the burger, then the buns.
Herein lies one of the genius secrets of the Oklahoma Onion Burger: steaming the buns.
Most hamburger buns are toasted or griddled until crispy with a pat of butter, but not these.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Regional Burger Faves
In Mississippi, the burger solution during the Great Depression was theMississippi Slugburger.
What’s the right onion for an onion burger?
Its umami-rich flavor is what scents everything from the patties to the sweet, tender potato bun.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
(80/20)ground beef
2medium-size (10 oz.
each) sweetonions
2tsp.kosher salt
4(1-oz.
Cook hamburger patties:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over high for 1 minute.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Place hamburger balls on skillet, and sprinkle evenly with salt.
Using a grill press or a wide heavy spatula, smash each ball into thin (1/4-inch-thick) patties.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Top each bun top with a bottom bun half facing down.
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
