Oklahoma-Style S'mack Burgers with Ranch-Flavored Tater Tots
Paper-thin onions smashed into juicy smash burgers under American cheese and a drive-thru-style special sauce, paired with crisp ranch-seasoned tater tots.
Special Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons relish
- About 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Burgers
- 1 large or 2 medium onions (Vidalia or yellow)
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20)
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
- 8 slices American cheese
- 4 large soft rolls
- Sliced dill pickles
- Chopped iceberg lettuce
Ranch-Flavored Tater Tots
- 1/2 cup powdered buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large bag extra-crispy tater tots
Steps
- Stir sour cream, ketchup, relish, and Worcestershire in a small bowl for the special sauce.
- Warm a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
- Peel the onions and shave them as thinly as you can with a mandoline or box grater.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper, divide into 4 portions, and roll into loose balls.
- Film the pan with oil. Set the meat balls with space between them, mound a quarter of the onions on each, and smash into thin patties so the onions fuse into the meat.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and cook about 2 minutes more. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each burger and cook until melted. Move to bun bottoms.
- Build with special sauce, pickles, lettuce, and bun tops.
- For the tots: Heat the oven to 425°F. Whisk the ranch seasoning spices together. Bake the tots until deeply crisp, about 25 minutes, then toss with ranch seasoning to taste.