Ever since we hit Route 66 (or at least parts of it) I’ve been following the recommendations of my road trip book very nearly to the letter. Why a for-real, paper-pages book as opposed to a series of apps and Yelp reviews and road-tripping sites? Because something about driving the old road makes me feel like you need a book to hold in your hands. You need to turn down pages and have somewhere to tuck receipts and pamphlets you find along the way into, you know?
Anyway, one of the places that my book declared unmissable was El Reno, a.k.a. “Hamburger City.”
Obviously I am stopping at a place with the nickname “Hamburger City.”
There were three diners that came highly recommended, but we ended up at Sid’s Diner because apparently it was featured in an episode of Man Vs. Food and I was all curious about why.
This is why.
It is called a “Fried Onion Burger,” it is apparently an Oklahoma specialty, and you have to try making one for your next barbecue. It became a thing during the Depression, when meat was expensive and onions were cheap, but it’s basically just a thin, super onion-y patty that is CRAZY UNREAL DELICIOUS.
Here’s how you make them (recipe via Saveur with notes from my trip to Sid’s Diner; serves 6).
Sid’s Diner Fried Onion Burger
What You Need:
- 4 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 lb. ground beef, gently formed into 6 balls
- 2 medium yellow onions, very thinly sliced with a mandoline or a sharp knife and divided into 6 equal portions (Note: I was advised at the diner to use paper towels to press the moisture out of the onions before cooking.)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 6 slices American cheese
- 6 hamburger buns, toasted
What You Do:
- Working in 2 batches, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 3 beef balls and, using the back of a spatula, press down on them until they’re thin; cook for 1 minute.
- Top each patty with a portion of the onions; season with salt. Press onions into the meat (really go ahead and smash them in) and cook for 1 minute more.
- Flip burgers; flatten with the spatula. Place a cheese slice on each patty and let melt while onions and meat brown. Serve on buns.
