Big Beef Burgers with Crunchy Sour Cream Onions
Double the use of sour cream in super fried onion rings and ranch dressing to top quarter-pounder burgers or smaller sliders.
Ingredients
For the sour cream onion rings:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch-thick slices and separated into rings
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup chives or scallion greens, finely chopped
- Salt and coarse black pepper
For the burgers:
- 2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin beef
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and coarse black pepper
- EVOO, for drizzling
- Brioche rolls or other burger rolls of choice
- Chopped crisp lettuce, such as iceberg lettuce or hearts of romaine
For the red ranch dressing:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup organic or low sodium ketchup
- 1 large clove garlic, grated or pasted
- 3-4 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (such as chives and parsley), finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and coarse black pepper
- Hot sauce, to taste
Preparation
Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Combine 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl and add the onion rings; soak for a few minutes. On a plate, toss the flour with the chives; season generously with salt and pepper. Double-dip the onion rings in the liquid and the flour. Fry a few rings at a time in the hot oil, turning once, until deep golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Combine the beef, Worcestershire sauce, lots of pepper and a little salt. Form four large or 12 slider-size patties and coat with EVOO. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, add the burgers and cook, turning once, for 8-10 minutes for big burgers, 4-6 minutes for sliders.
While the burgers cook, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup each buttermilk and sour cream, the ketchup, garlic, herbs and lemon juice; season with salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Layer the rolls with the burgers, ranch dressing, lettuce and onion rings.
