Oklahoma Onion Burgers are SHOCKINGLY Good

The Oklahoma onion burger is almost too simple, but let me tell you Oklahoma has it FIGURED OUT. This cheesy smashburger with fried onions is one of the best things you can put in your mouth. I'll show you how to make it at home.

🔪MY GEAR:

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RECIPE
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▪2lbs/1kg boneless beef short ribs
▪4 small white onions, shaved
▪Salt
▪Ground black pepper
▪Brioche buns, toasted
▪American cheese (I use kraft singles bc you can’t match the melty sauciness. If you can’t find it, any mild and very melty cheese will work)

Cut short ribs into chunks (about 1.5”/4cm). Place on plate or tray and freeze for 15min. Put chunks into a food processor or meat grinder. If using a food processor, in at least 2 batches, pulse meat until it has a loose ground beef texture.

Measure patties into 2.5oz/70g pieces. Roll into a ball and work slightly until beef sticks together. Place between pieces of parchment then flatten into 5-6”/12-15cm in diameter, making sure to flatten patty so that it’s even thinner around the edges. When finished, refrigerate patties until you’re ready to cook them.

Peel and cut poles off onions then slice into the thinnest rings possible. I like to use a mandolin.

Preheat the largest nonstick pan or cast iron that you have over med-high. I use a 14” pan which can cook 4 patties at once. A griddle will work well if you have one.

Place patties in the pan and hit them with a pinch salt and pepper, then about 1/2c of shaved onions onto each patty. Press each patty down for at least 10 seconds. When bottom side of patties has gotten brown and caramelized, flip to side 2, onion side down. Cook for about another 20 seconds before adding a slide of cheese. On half of the patties, place the bottom (pre-toasted) burger bun and the top burger bun directly on top of the bottom bun to steam and warm while patties finish cooking. Total cook time on the burgers should only be about 2-2.5 mins.

To assemble, remove top buns. Flip patties with bottom buns over, bun side down. Onions will be facing up. Stack one of the patties without the bun on top of the onions (onions down, cheese up). Top with top bun.

🎧MUSIC:

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:25 The beef
3:15 The onions
4:00 Geologie skincare (Ad)
5:07 Cooking the burgers + ingredients
8:10 Putting it all together
8:55 Let's eat this thing

#onionburger #oklahomaonionburger #burger

**DISCLAIMER: Some links in this description may be affiliate links. If you buy any of these products using these links I'll receive a small commission at no added cost to you. All links are to products that I actually use or recommend. Thank you in advance for your support!

[HolyCrapItsALion]

Brian you beautiful person. Thank you for using a food processor! Not everyone has the space and money for a kitchenaid mixer and all their attachments to have a "Meat Grinder" like so many other celeb-chefs and YT personalities keep showing. Really good on you for validating a trusty (and cheaper) method for meat grinding.

[charlenemack]

My late dad made the best onion pepper burgers in the world. He’s been gone 29 years… I miss you daddy and I miss your onion pepper burgers. 🧅🫑🥩💖💖💖

[alphaperez]

I just made these burgers and omg they are amazing. Where has this been all my life? The onions were so tasty. Thanks Bri for all the recipes. Love the channel.

[VaoDxArchAngel]

Man, watching your videos is a vibe. Thanks for being a big part of my love for cooking, Brian! Keep doing what you're doing. You're improving the culinary lives of so many people.

[The_Chef]

The onion burger was a happy discovery made during the great depression. They were a cheap way to feed people when meat was in short supply. Turns out cooked down onions and meat are a natural match even when you're using yellow storage onions.

[rnrtruestories]

I’m on cooking duty this week and omg this looks so good can’t wait to make it

[deepdisco-vs]

These videos that dive into regional variations on classics/regional specialties are my absolute favorite! So many amazing food traditions, so many "right" ways to cook something 😊

[ThisNimrod]

Saw this on Burger Scholar and Kenji. Took a happy dance from Bri to finally make me commit to doing it. The pre-smash is clutch. I always find your recipes so easy to follow. The little things I pick up from your videos have really elevated my technique. Thanks for sharing.

[MrHazz]

Okie here: Try using a tortilla press for the smashing and high volume production. We cook these on outdoor griddles alot and they come out fast so you can serve many guests.

[cliffsnelgrove]

Best burger I've ever eaten. Used your sauce from the Smash Burger episode. Only had red onions, extra sharp cheddar and a whole wheat bun. The juiciness of this burger is beyond description, you have to experience it. Thanks for sharing.

[kidelliott]

Ok so I've seen this burger show up on a lot of channels but it was this vid that made me actually try making it today. It was hard to believe that a burger without any real accoutrements could be so perfect, and yet here I am craving another! Great video, Brian! 🙂

[mistaowickkuh]

You can use a paper to prevent the meat from going through your spatula. You can use that paper until it breaks, if it ever does. At some point I started using the bottom of a small saucepan to smash burgers. It's a smoot bottom, thin steel saucepan. Works like a charm.

[knightsofneeech]

Man! I've been following Brian since he was 20k subscribers. He's so talented and I have used many of his recipes/formulas. I love how he is great at taking his restaurant knowledge to the home kitchen. One of my favorites out there. I'm happy he has 410+k subscribers now! Mazel tov

[dimilton]

My mom made these last night and they were AWESOME!!! She used a square panini press on our cast iron skillet and BOOOOIIII!!! So good!

[AmazingArnoldVoice]

Been on a juice diet strictly for 28 days. This burger is like number 1 thing I’m eating when I return to food! Lovely, thank you

[mjnagan]

Love these. Been making them for years trying to make a full size version of White Castle sliders. That flavor everyone loves is very similar to WhiteCastle, . They "steam grill" their burgers on a pile of onions. Found out later they are actually Oklahoma onion burgers.

[agm]

We were driving through Oklahoma and we ate at this joint that was making these burgers and they were delicious. Thanks for the video.

[Ammo]

I remember stopping in a little truck stop near El Reno, OK about 50 years ago and getting introduced to their onion burger...so good...can't beat'em.

[jackbrown]

A sauce pot works great for smashing the burger. Wide surface area, no holes, and the height works well for the pan. Also it's great to put a little mustard on the onions. When you flip, the onions and mustard cook into the burger.

[nguy]

Mine is very similar, but I put the onions (or shallots) down first, smash the patty onto them, and use a medium cheddar. I just can’t get into American “cheese”. But it’s my family’s favorite dinner. Amazing!