Oklahoma!

It’s not National Oklahoma Day. That was June 7. Today is not Oklahoma anything, except to revisit a favorite we haven’t had in a while – the Oklahoma Onion Burger.

It’s been 7 (wow – seven!) years since we first shared the story behind this delicious burger. The story of the Oklahoma Onion Burger is an old one. It began with a highway to connect Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica California. This highway was known by several whimsical names – the Will Rogers Highway, Main Street of America or the Mother Road. On maps it was simply called Route 66. The highway was a total of 2,448 miles long, carrying travelers from start to finish through eight states, including Oklahoma. Now all those travelers needed food along the way, so diners sprung up in nearly every small town along the way, eager to feed hungry motorists. Business was booming. That is right up until hard times and the Dust Bowl changed everything. (And don’t get me started on the stupidity of proposed solutions to the whole Dust Bowl disaster. No, that’s a subject for another day.)

A man named Ross Davis owned a hamburger joint in El Reno, Oklahoma aptly named “The Hamburger Inn”. With the depression, meat of any kind was expensive. Ross wanted to give his diners that same experience of a big, juicy burgers but could no longer afford the cost of ground beef alone. He knew in order to survive from a financial perspective, the size of his burgers needed to be reduced. He also knew from a diner’s perspective a smaller burger would not do. That’s when Mr. Davis decided if he “smashed” a handful of onion slivers into each burger, the amount of ground beef could be reduced while the size and appearance of his burgers would remain unchanged. And so it was that the infamous Oklahoma Onion Burger was born.

Today we no longer worry about reducing the amount of ground beef, which means an even bigger, better Oklahoma Onion Burger. Most of the recipes that tell us how to recreate Mr. Davis’ Oklahoma Onion Burger instruct you to place the patties on the griddle, top with onions and press down on the onions with the pack of a spatula to infuse the onions to the burgers. You could do it that way, but I don’t. Instead I make a “patty” of onions on a baking sheet, then press the uncooked burger on top. This seals the two together without pressing the juices out of the meat. The burgers are then cooked onion side down first to caramelize the onions into the meat. Wow – the onion flavor is amazing! Now aren’t you glad we’ve revisited this recipe?

Oklahoma Griddle Onion Burgers
1 large Yellow Onion
1 teaspoon Salt
1 large Beefsteak Tomato
4 Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves
4 (1/3 lb) Quality Burger Patties
Seasoning Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Bacon Drippings
4 Hamburger Buns
Sliced Sharp Cheddar or American Cheese, optional

Note: If the burger patties are frozen, thaw completely before using.

Cut onion in half from root to tip. Peel each half. Lay onion, cut side down, slice to create thin slivers. Repeat with remaining half of the onion. Combine onions and 1 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Toss to combine. Transfer salted onions to a colander and let sit in the sink for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

While the onions are drawing out their moisture, slice the tomato into nice slices. Break off the lettuce leaves, rinse and pat dry. Set aside until ready to use.

Cut several layers of cheesecloth large enough to hold the onions in a bundle. Using tons, transfer onion to the cheesecloth. Gather the edges and squeeze the onion as dry as possible.

Divide onions into 4 equal portions cutting board. Spread each portion out into a circle the same size as the burger patties. Place a beef patty on top of each onion circle and press lightly so that the onions adhere to the patty. Season the patties with seasoning salt and black pepper to taste.

Place a cast iron griddle on top of the grill. Melt bacon drippings on the griddle over medium heat. Using a spatula, transfer the patties to the griddle, onion side down and cook until the onions are a deep golden brown, just beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip burgers over, increase heat under the griddle to medium-high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes. If using, place a slice of cheese on each burger and allow cheese to melt.

Spread favorite condiments on the buns such as mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom of each bun. Top with the onion burger, then a slice of tomato. Place the top bun into place. If desired, cut burgers in half for easy in eating. Serve with fries and plenty of napkins.

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I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.