The Best Type Of Onions To Use For Oklahoma-Style Burgers

If you've never had an Oklahoma onion burger, then you're keeping yourself from one of the tastiest burger patties on the market. Essentially the original smash burger, these onion burgers made their debut during the Great Depression and are still made the same way a century later — a smashed beef patty loaded with onions, then grilled to perfection and plated atop steamed buns. Other toppings, like cheese and pickles, can be added as well. It's not hard to make one yourself, but there is a technique to it, and it all starts with the onions.

Nobody is going to tell you that you're wrong if you use a red or yellow onion, but it's that lighter, sweeter onion that will give you the best flavor in this kind of burger. They'll be quickly seared on the grill while the burger is built, so the prep makes a difference; the thinner the better.

Sweet onions only get better as the heat hits them. A quick sear on the grill will bring out that sweetness, too. That's because these onions have more sugar than other types, so as they cook and those sugars are released, they'll give that perfect contrast to a fattier beef patty. Common types of sweet onions include Vidalia and Maui onions.

For an Oklahoma onion burger, you want the onions to sear quickly and build fragrancy in just a few minutes; they'll be on top of the patty when it starts cooking, but once you flip it, those onions end up on the grill and will only have about four minutes to cook before the patties are ready. For that reason, slice the onion extra thinly. This gets a crispy skin quickly, which adds both flavor and texture. And as the onions steam on one side and then grill when they're flipped, they'll infuse flavor into the patty as well.

The trick to the perfect Oklahoma burger isn't just the type of onion you use — it's also how many. That burger should be absolutely loaded with onions; the right way to build the burger is to add more than you think you'll need. If you're using a medium-sized onion, you'll need about half an onion for one patty. They'll cook down a bit with the heat, so the end result is the perfect amount of onions; trust us.

If you don't have sweet onions on hand, you can use another kind. Sweet onions technically are white onions, but you'll often find them labeled as sweet at the grocery store. If you want a burger in a pinch, you can sub a yellow onion, which will come the closest to that sweet onion flavor you're looking for. Red onions have a slightly more pungent, spicier flavor. Both will work, but the flavor pairing will vary slightly depending on which type you go with.