America’s Undisputed Burger Capital Is—Wait For It—Oklahoma

Welcome to Off the Eaten Path, a series where our Test Kitchen creator Noah Tanen dives deep into regional recipes. Next up? Oklahoma Onion Burgers.

Oklahoma onion burgers are having a bit of a national moment right now. Born out of the Depression era, when restaurant owners in Oklahoma realized they could stretch their beef supply by padding it out with mountains of cheaply grown onions, the dish has remained basically unchanged for a century. It is the smash burger from way before smash burgers were cool, a regional classic that has not only persevered—but even thrived—in the modern era.

We probably owe much of this recipe's recent prestige to George Motz, a hamburger historian who has featured it extensively online. Then, he included it on the opening menu of his West Village burger counter, Hamburger America. The restaurant always features one regional burger option, and it’s only fitting that they kicked it off with an onion one.

But the center of the onion burger’s orbit is El Reno, OK, a small town about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City. The classic spots around town, notably Sid’s Diner, Robert’s Grill, and Johnnies, all more or less make their burgers in the same way, by smashing a lightly packed ball of ground beef onto a hot griddle under a comically large pile of onions. It always looks like too much, but by the time the patty is flipped, the onion mass has somehow caramelized, crisped, and steamed all at the same time. The griddlemaster then gently drapes a slice of quick-melting American cheese on top and lets the soft buns steam on top of the patties as they finish. Then it’s time to assemble and serve.

Oklahoma onion burgers are simple enough to make at home, but it’s important to note that these restaurants are often using deli slicers to get paper thin slices of onions. A mandolin is a great way to replicate this in your kitchen.

Otherwise, you might need to take a trip to see America’s burger capital for yourself. It’s not just old school spots that serve it. Tucker’s is a relatively new entrant to the scene, gaining notoriety fast with multiple locations around OKC. On a recent trip to the area, many of the locals I solicited for recommendations gushed over their offerings. It’s a sign that the onion burger isn’t a relic of the past, and its newfound popularity is not a flash in the pan. The new wave of smash burgers doesn’t seem to be losing any momentum, and it’s made it that much easier for Oklahoma’s onion burger to take over.

What's your favorite regional burger? Let us know in the comments!