Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers Recipe by Leah

My husband had never had grilled onions on a burger before we met.  He didn’t even know it was an option.  There’s a lot my husband didn’t know about food when we met.  He didn’t even like steak and couldn’t understand why people would pay so much for one at a restaurant.  But that’s a story for another time.  Let’s just say that he came from a home very limited in flavors.

I love a burger with onions.  They’re not complete until they have some in my opinion.  In fact, I have been known to order both grilled and raw onions at the same time when I eat at In & Out.  When I first heard that there was such a thing as Fried Onion Burgers I knew I had to try them.  I really wanted to get a good picture of them for you but it was just too late and too dark and well, we had delicious hot burgers sitting there that needed to be eaten.  So, I suggest googling a picture of Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers so you can see just how beautiful a juicy burger sitting on top of fried onions can be.

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 large onions (I used yellow), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1 lb ground beef

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 sliced American cheese

mayo, mustard, and pickles for serving

4 hamburger buns, toasted

PREPARATION

1. Combine the onion slices and 1 tsp of salt in a bowl and toss to combine.  Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.  Transfer the onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions.  Do this over the sink or a large bowl since the onions will have quite a bit of liquid in them.
2. Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet.  Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls.  Place the beef ballson top of the onions mounds and flatten the beef firmly with your palm so the onions adhere to the beef.  The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter.  Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
3. Melt the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Using a large spatula, transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down.  Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges.  Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes.
4. Add a slice of cheese to each burger and allow to melt.  Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on the bottom buns.