Oklahoma Shallot Burger

Innovating on the famous burger.

1 burger
25 minutes
Ethan Chlebowski

Ingredients

Single burger components

  • Ground beef, 80/20
    160 g~1/3 lb
  • Shallots, or onion
    40 ga handful
  • Salt
    1 ga sprinkle
  • American Cheese
    1 slice
  • Potato bun
    1

Method

Step 1: Thinly slice the shallot (or onion)

Cut the shallot or onion in half (pole to pole) and peel any outer layers. Then shave the shallot/onion as thinly as possible across the layers, creating super thin orbital slices.

  • You’ll need a sharp knife for this. If you have a mandoline, even better — use its thinnest setting.

Gather or prep any remaining ingredients for your burger(s).

Step 2: Sear & smash the patty; add the shallot

To a ripping hot cast iron pan or griddle, add the beef and then smash it down until it has spread out to a diameter slighter wider than the bun. Add an even sprinkle of salt to the meat.

While it for a minute or two, add the shaved shallot in a mound over top of the patty. Press down the onions into the beef.

  • Sear the beef until the bottom has developed deep and color.

Step 3: Flip & brown the onions; add the cheese

Flip the patty to finish cooking the burger through. The shallot will now be in contact with the pan and begin to and brown.

  • After a few minutes, the shallots should have taken on lots of color (some is okay — be careful of burning, however).

Flip the patty over so that the shallots are back on top. Add the slice of cheese so it begins to melt over top and “glues” the shallot slices to the patty.

Step 4: Steam the buns & serve

Add the top buns over top of the cheese and stack the bottom bun on top of that. Optionally cover with a sheet tray or metal bowl — the trapped rising and heat from the pan/patty will warm and soften the bun through.

Remove the burger from the heat and assemble. Add any extra toppings, if desired. Enjoy.

“The Oklahoma Onion Burger is one of the easiest and tastiest burgers you can make at home, but my onion deep dive video got me thinking…would shallots make it ever better? I think their flavor takes this burger to the next level. Multiply the recipe as needed. I encourage you to test out a shallot vs different types of onions in this recipe.”

Ethan Chlebowski
Creator

Watch & Cook

Nutritional Information

SINGLE BURGER
Calories637
31g
40g
38g

FAQ

Do I need to use a potato bun?

While a soft roll like a potato bun works best, anything can work. Use your favorite burger bun. We recommended Martin’s Potato Rolls if you can find them. Other potato rolls or brioche buns have a similar .

Does it matter how I slice the shallot/onion?

You want to slice it as thinly as possible, and rupture as many cells as possible to release all of the onion flavor. The thin shavings will quickly cook down and melt into the burger. While we usually like to thinly slice onions pole-to-pole, it’s best to cut parallel to the “equator” (orbitally) of the onion for this recipe, which releases more of the onion juices.