The Smash Burger

The Smash Burger might be one of the most popular menu items for summer grilling. It totally deserves it, crispy smashed patties with melted gooey cheese between two buns is hard to beat. Besides the taste, they are very simple and quick to make.

I’ve seen many smash burgers and the one that grabs my attention from the very beginning are the Oklahoma Onion Smash. Burgers. The onions are sent through a mandolin that slices them paper thin so they become caramelized quickly in all of the burger juices while grilling. There are a few tricks to make sure it is done properly so you get the full pleasure while eating them.

With this being said, the Oklahoma Onion Smash Burger is by far my favorite form of a burger to ever exist!

WHAT IS AN OKLAHOMA ONION SMASHBURGER?

To begin, the Oklahoma Onion Smash Burger is sometimes referred to as the “Okie Burger” or a fried onion burger. It consists of razor thin sliced onions that get pressed into a burger patty and then gets cooked/fried in the burger juices for the most dang delicious flavors you can imagine.

This wonderful creation developed during the depression with a few Oklahoma restaurants trying to survive with affordable food. They decided to smash paper thin onions into their beef patties to help cut the cost. The beef was expensive but the onions were affordable and it helped separate them from their competition.

The burger sounds simple, but don’t let that fool you because the flavor is fantastic. The onions will help add flavor to the beef and the beef fat will fry the onions, this is why it’s important to smash them together during the process of making them.

INGREDIENTS USED FOR THE BEST OKLAHOMA BURGER:

The best thing about making an Oklahoma Onion Burger (besides the flavor) is that the ingredients are few and simple. This burger is a cheap option to feed a crowd or a hungry family that doesn’t want to wait around forever to eat. Here’s what you need:

• Ground Beef: 1.5 pounds 80/20 ground beef, the fat is what is needed to cook the onions and keep the burger moist.
• 2 White Onions: sliced thinly- I add salt to the sliced onions and squeeze them to remove the moisture.
• Burger Seasoning: I like to use “The Go To” from fire and smoke society. Seasoned salt and pepper with garlic powder will work too.
• American Cheese: I like to use two slices per patty
• Brioche Burger Buns: They’re simply the best
• Burger Sauce: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, sweet relish and hot sauce. (Optional)

COOKING TOOLS:

For the best results I always choose to use my griddle. It’s the best way to manage the cooking zones and have the surface area needed to make these burgers. Some people will use a cast iron skillet (12”) for this but they are typically only making one single burger.

Along with the griddle you need a mandolin, this is how you will get the onions sliced thinly for the perfect results. Be sure to use protection, they typically come with a guard to protect your fingers.

Now you need a burger smasher, this is the best way to smash those onions down into the beef. The cooking utensils are flimsy and will have too much bend in them for you to have a consistent evenly smashed patty. The burger presses are great to have the best flat patty.

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