Oklahoma Onion Burgers

Reads 1405 • Replies 13 • Started Wednesday, May 22, 2013 10:02:53 PM CT

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Message jzzbassman beers 1638 º places 30 º 22:02 Wed 5/22/2013 In light of the tornadoes this week, I thought I should post one of Oklahoma’s great contributions to food. Invented during the Depression to make beef stretch better, they are very simple but one of those dishes that are way greater than the sum of their parts. Good approximation recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Sids-Onion-Burger A few notes after making this a second time tonight: 1. I use an iron skillet, hot. 2. Thanks to cheeseman, great advise to smash the burger balls into a thin patty in the skillet with a big can. I used a can of San Marzanos I had in the pantry with some wax paper and a rubber band to keep it clean. 3. Yes really. That many onions. Smash them into the meat good as stated about a minute before flipping 4. When the onions are looking like they are browning well meat is pretty much done. Throw some cheese on top and I inverted another skillet to "dome" it to melt quickly. 5. Traditional toppings are usually very minimal. The way it is usually served is ketchup, mustard, and pickle.
Message Swillbur beers 63 º places 25 º 22:13 Wed 5/22/2013 Look out for Prairie Artisan ales!
Message Swillbur beers 63 º places 25 º 22:14 Wed 5/22/2013 that sounds good too
Message joet P admin beers 2900 º places 125 º 04:08 Thu 5/23/2013 Thanks for the positive nod to Oklahoma, a place still suffering Monday’s horrible tornado tragedy. Good to see Saveur recognizing this perfect, simple food. What do you think of adding sweet, dark beer as recommended after the recipe? We used to have turkey burger stout recipe around here that was not all that far from these onion burgers.

Message Cobra beers 1100 º places 24 º 05:20 Thu 5/23/2013 My thoughts go out to Oakies too. I hope they pull thru this terrible tragedy. That said, the best onion burger I ever had was a little sidewalk stand in Vicksburg, Mississippi, of all places. They shaved the onions on a deli slicer so thin, they only had one side. They had a really old gas fired griddle, probably made around the Civil War. Fried the onions a few mins, then smashed the burger balls into the onions. One side only. Served with mustard & dill pickle chips on a soft potato roll. The grease burns were heavenly. (P.S.- I have kin folk in Tulsa OK, so I’m allowed to call them Oakies.)
Message pinkie beers 470 º places 10 º 06:27 Thu 5/23/2013 I’m gonna make this recipe in their honor. =) Thanks.
Message Shaftie beers 218 º places 8 º 07:08 Thu 5/23/2013 We Okies are a resilent lot. Most of my fellow Oklahomans will appreciate even the smallest symbolic gesture. Regards
Message mkgrenwel beers 619 º places 117 º 07:11 Thu 5/23/2013 Originally posted by Cobra (P.S.- I have kin folk in Tulsa OK, so I’m allowed to call them Oakies.) P.P.S. Then you should know it’s Okie.

Message Shaftie beers 218 º places 8 º 07:17 Thu 5/23/2013 Originally posted by mkgrenwel Originally posted by Cobra (P.S.- I have kin folk in Tulsa OK, so I’m allowed to call them Oakies.) P.P.S. Then you should know it’s Okie. ^ The real reason behind my post. I suppose if any place should mix it up it’s a place that goes crazy for barrel-aged treatments and tossing in oak chips.
Message PhillyBeer2112 beers 3500 º places 102 º 12:58 Thu 5/23/2013 This sounds like a down home version of a White Castle burger, and I wonder if there’s a connection since White Castle/King’s X burgers started in Wichita, not far from Oklahoma. When I make my imitation white castle sliders at home I use onion soup mix in the patties, and sauteed diced onions and a pickle as the only toppings.
Message jzzbassman beers 1638 º places 30 º 16:20 Thu 5/23/2013 Originally posted by PhillyBeer2112 This sounds like a down home version of a White Castle burger, and I wonder if there’s a connection since White Castle/King’s X burgers started in Wichita, not far from Oklahoma. When I make my imitation white castle sliders at home I use onion soup mix in the patties, and sauteed diced onions and a pickle as the only toppings. Sort of but not really. The difference is the sheer amount of sweet onion. We’re talking a half of a small onion per 1/4 lb patty! It makes for great flavor when cooked to just before burnt on the onion side. Cobra, the Vicksburg place sounds interesting. I’m on the other side of the state and I’ve never seen it make outside of Oklahoma, but what you describe sounds very much like them. Up here in North Mississippi the answer to the Depression was the "Slugburger" (so named because they used to cost a nickel or slug as it was known in slang) or "doughburger" depending on what town you are in. I’m not a big fan....you stretch the meat by adding bread. There is a place here in my town of New Albany just featured on Travel Channel’s Burger Land called Latham’s that does an unusual version that the host loved, with the flavor coming from being fried in a 70 year old iron skillet, but as he said it doesn’t taste at all like a burger, it is totally different.