Saveur Cooks Authentic American - Editors Of Cook's Illustrated Magazine [44]
2 tbsp. honey
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary, torn into 1-inch pieces
Serves 4
1. Put pork chops on a plate and drizzle with oil. Season the chops generously with salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, build a mediumhot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat. Combine vinegar and honey in a 1-qt. saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to ¼ cup. Add butter and rosemary, stir until butter is melted, and set aside.
3. Put pork chops on grill and cook, occasionally turning and basting with balsamic mixture, until browned and just cooked through, 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Sid’s Fried Onion Burgers
Onions are a classic burger topping, but at Sid’s Diner in El Reno, Oklahoma, they are an integral element of the patty itself. Squashing the ground beef and onions together into the hot skillet results in a well-seared exterior, crisp edges, and a delectable caramelized-onion flavor.
1 lb. ground beef
2 medium Vidalia or yellow onions
4 tbsp. canola oil Kosher salt, to taste
6 slices American cheese (optional)
6 hamburger buns, toasted Dill pickle slices
Makes 6 burgers
1. Divide the ground beef into 6 equal balls, making sure to handle the meat gently. Very thinly slice the onions on a mandoline, or slice them using a sharp knife; divide the onions into 6 equal portions.
2. Working in two batches, heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 of the beef balls and, using the back of a spatula, press down on them until they are thin. Cook for 1 minute. Top each patty with a portion of the onions, then season with salt. Press the onions into the meat and cook for about 1 minute more.
3. Flip the onion-topped patties and flatten them with the spatula. Place a cheese slice, if using, on each patty and let the cheese melt while the onions and meat brown. Top the bottom half of each bun with the onions and cheese-topped patties, add the top bun, and serve with dill pickle slices, if you like.
Local Specialty
One reason to visit Sid’s Diner (pictured) in El Reno, Oklahoma, is the hospitality. A small town 35 miles west of Oklahoma City, El Reno is the kind of place where nice-guy burger joint operators like Marty Hall are local celebrities. The other reason to visit Sid’s, of course, is to eat the onion burger, the best of a local breed that was invented in El Reno during the Great Depression. The burger’s distinguishing feature—lots and lots of onions cooked right into the patty—began as a way of stretching ground beef. Marty, who started making the specialty as a grill cook 41 years ago, places a small ball of beef on a hot flattop griddle, showers the meat with a heap of thinly sliced Vidalia onions, and then presses the patty down until the onions and beef become one. When the burger is crunchy and browned on the bottom, it’s flipped so that the same thing can happen to the other side. The last time I was at Sid’s, I asked Marty whether his burgers had changed over the years. “Cooking burgers is like laying brick,” he told me. “Your best comes with years of experience. It becomes like an art.
”—George Motz
Building the Perfect Burger
It just might be the ultimate comfort food: a juicy hamburger customized to appeal to our particular tastes and cravings. There’s almost no limit to what works well when crafting a delicious burger; countless toppings and types of buns provide a pleasing contrast in taste, texture, and temperature. Maybe you’re in the mood for a classic cheeseburger with some crisp, cool lettuce and raw red onion. Or something more decadent: blue cheese, sweet caramelized onion, and smoky bacon. Here are some of our favorite burger building blocks.
Multiseed bun Burger’s answer to the everything bagel.
Roasted peppers Gives burgers a smoky, sweet accent.
English muffin Sturdy and soaks up juices like a sponge.
Bibb lettuce A velvety alternative to crunchy iceberg.
American cheese Sunny yellow,