Pride of Oklahoma: The Fried Onion Burger

Long before I adopted the alter ego of the Hungry Hoosier I was the Starving Sooner, because my birthplace was the State of Oklahoma. Like Indiana, Oklahoma does not lay claim to too many original culinary creations but has one standout. Oklahoma's "tenderloin" is the "Fried Onion Burger." The official FOB looks nothing like the one in the photo, but more on that later.

The FOB is a hamburger fried on a grill with loads of fried onions. These fried onions are like sauteed onions to the max. The are cooked much longer than the typical caramelized onions, and they are cooked with the burger. You can find this delicacy in lots of places, but El Reno claims to be Fried Onion Capital of the World and even holds an annual Fried Onion Burger Festival. I worked for a summer at a restaurant in Oklahoma City that served both Fried Onion Burgers and Char-Burgers (another unique Oklahoma thing).

Tonight I decided to try a variation on the FOB. I used a cast iron skillet to cook the burgers and tossed in one onion sliced thin. I started out on high heat to get a nice crisp coating on each side of the burger, then turned down the heat and topped the skillet with a lid to get the burgers to cook all the way through.

It turned out really well. I ate mine open-faced on a piece of whole wheat bread with lite mayo and A1 sauce. This is not exactly the way it gets served in the Sooner State but I was trying to make it a bit healthier. It was good, but it made be a bit homesick. My buddy Jerry spends time in Tulsa, I'll be curious to hear from him if he has had the famous FOB. If you are ever in OK seek out on of these.    

Comments

[braingirl]

Man, I'd forgotten about Char-burgers. I'd kill for one! That great taste! And I'd also love a really good chicken-fried steak. Miss them so much. I eat like a pig everytime I go home to Oklahoma.

[Jerry]

Scott,
I will say I was quite perplexed when I first moved to Tulsa. I just didn't get why there were so many Mom & Pop hamburger joints. Well, they are all different and all good. Here's my fave's:

Ron's Hamburgers & Chili (http://www.ronsburgers.com/) Must try the chili cheeseburger and Spanish fries.
Goldie's (http://www.goldies.com/) The Goldie's Charburger is my favorite. Don’t pass up the pickle bar!
Johnnie's (http://www.johnniesok.com/johnnies.html) Try the Hamburger with Johnnie's sauce.
Backyard Burger (http://www.backyardburgers.com/) Great charburgers, but the blackened chicken w/ hot pepper jack cheese and cole slaw is the bomb.
and Willie's #3 (near the airport). Charburger with tater tots.

Dang, Scott. Now I'm really missing Tulsa!

[braingirl]

A staple of my holiday party is still the margarita pound cake from Lambrusco's Deli.

And backyard burgers, that brings back memories. Now we just need some of the Eskimo Joe's cheese fries with their special seasoning and we'd be all set. (And maybe those salted, grilled fresh jalapenos from Chillenos in OKC.)

[Rose]

Your makin me hungry....
If you want the best food in Oklahoma, go to Kenosha Cafe in Broken Arrow. It's between 145th and 161st on 71st (Kenosha). They have the best down home cooking ever. The home made pies are to die for and they also have a coconut cake that is out of this world. The very best thing though is the breakfast. The eggs are perfectly cooked, big fluffy biscuits, home made gravy. The hashbrowns are crisp....mmmm... I am going to go there for lunch today. I think I will have the hamburger steak with mushrooms and fried onions....