Crisp Onion Burger Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly mix together the sirloin, brisket, chuck, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and the garlic powder in large bowl with a fork until just combined.
• Divide the mixture into 6 equal mounds. Gently press each meat mound between two sheets of wax paper to make a thin patty, each about 4 inches wide and a little under 1/2 inch thick. (I used a tortilla press for this. If you don't have one, use a rolling pin.) Refrigerate until ready to use. The patties can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
• Heat a cast-iron griddle or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot and smoking. Place each patty on the griddle and cook, undisturbed, until a deeply caramelized crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully flip each patty and top with a slice of cheese. Continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer until the cheese is melted and the desired doneness is reached.
• Meanwhile, brush the inside of each bun with melted butter and place on the griddle until toasted, about 1 minute. Place each burger patty on a bottom-bun half. Dress each bun top with ketchup, mustard, onion and pickles and flip on the the burgers. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Leave it there for 5 minutes. Loosely gather a handful of ground beef and slip it into the pan. Repeat 6 times. The burgers should be freeform lumps.
• With the side of a spatula, push the burgers into a semblance of a round. After about a minute, pile on all the onions and then, with as much force as you can manage, smash the onions into the meat. Again, work the sides of the patties into a semblance of a round. Cook another minute and then flip. Season with salt. Smash the burgers again, hard.
• Place burger on bottom half of the bun and spread with mustard. Spread the cheese on top half of the bun and place on the burger.

Steps:

• Soak the sliced onions in ice water for a minimum of 2 hours.
• Preheat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees F. After soaking the rings, drain well and toss in the flour. Fry until golden brown, then season with salt and pepper.
• To prepare the burger, in a bowl, blend the ground beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Then remove a small portion, about 1 ounce, and cook to check level of seasoning.
• Re-season the beef if necessary. To form patties, portion four 7 1/2- to 8-ounce rounds. Flatten the top with a 5-inch disk, ensuring not to over-mix during the process.
• Once portioned, warm a griddle or pan over medium high heat until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the grapeseed oil and patties. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook on first side until browned, 3 minutes, then flip and repeat process to desired temperature. Remove from the heat and rest.
• While the meat is resting, cook the fries until golden brown in the same oil used for the onion rings. When finished, remove and season with salt and pepper. Then warm a medium flat pan over medium heat. Spread the butter on all of the buns. Brown the buns in the pan until solid brown texture is achieved, 1 to 2 minutes. Then remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
• In a bowl, blend the shredded lettuce with the Thousand Island dressing, tossing well. Then top the browned buns with the lettuce, a cooked patty and some onion rings and top with the bun top. Serve with the French fries.

Steps:

• Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions - as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
• Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don't have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
• Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4½- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty's edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
• Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don't leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
• Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don't typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.