The dish to eat in Lawrence · United States

Burger

Name: A Lawrence-style smashed burger with caramelized onions
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20; 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (30 g) butter; 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the patties; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 4 slices sharp cheddar; 4 brioche or potato buns; For the sauce: 1/3 cup (75 g) mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle; Lettuce and pickle chips, to serve

Photo: FranHogan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source

A griddled beef burger on a bun, the meal Lawrence argues about most.

Lawrence runs a public vote for its best burger, and the Burger Stand in the back of the Casbah on Mass Street keeps coming out on top. A burger and fries downtown, then a beer up the street at Free State, is the town's classic night.

Where to eat it Cook it at home Have a chef cook it at home

Where to eat it: the best three in Lawrence

The Burger Stand at the Casbah
Downtown
Order: A burger and fries
Called Lawrence burger canon by the city's tourism blog.
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Dempsey's Burger Pub
Downtown
Order: A burger
A downtown burger pub on Vermont Street, third on a Yelp-based list.
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The Eldridge
Downtown
Order: A burger
The historic hotel's restaurant, featured in the city's burger guide.
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All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best burger in Lawrence, which you can save and take with you.

Cook it at home: A Lawrence-style smashed burger with caramelized onions

Serves 4Time 40 min

A griddled burger with a hard sear, sweet caramelized onions, sharp cheddar and a quick house sauce. Cook the onions first; the burgers take minutes.

Pans and tools

Cast-iron skillet or griddle
Sturdy metal spatula
Second skillet for the onions

You’ll need

1 1/2 lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 g) butter
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the patties
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 slices sharp cheddar
4 brioche or potato buns
For the sauce: 1/3 cup (75 g) mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle
Lettuce and pickle chips, to serve

Steps

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until deep golden and soft, 25 to 30 minutes.
Stir the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
Divide the beef into 8 loose balls of about 3 oz (85 g).
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until smoking. Toast the buns, cut side down, about 1 minute, then set aside.
Put 2 to 4 balls in the pan and smash each flat with a sturdy spatula. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes without moving, until the edges are crisp and brown.
Flip, put a slice of cheese on half the patties, and cook 1 minute more. Stack each cheese patty with a plain one.
Spread sauce on the buns, add lettuce and pickles, the patties and a spoonful of onions. Serve at once.

Chef’s tips

Do not move the patties until they release on their own.

Keep the beef cold until it hits the pan.

The onions can be made a day ahead.

Contains: ['gluten (bun)', 'dairy (butter, cheese)', 'egg (mayonnaise)'].

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