Is this Shallot Burger better than the Oklahoma Onion Burger?

Welcome to episode 5 of the Cook Well channel, where I ask the question, does a shallot burger taste better than an Oklahoma onion burger?
Oklahoma Shallot Burger Recipe: www.cookwell.com/recipe/oklah...
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Onion Deep Dive: • Can you actually taste...
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[@bigidiot5881]

You know, it may be a small thing, but shots like you have around the 2 to 3 minute mark, where you're just quietly working, or explaining something with no piped-in copyright-free music feel much more like I'm in a cooking class or lecture than "watching content", and I appreciate that. I think a lot of KZbin types lack the confidence to have a sustained shot of them just slicing shallots with no keys jingling for fear of harming viewer retention, and I like that it feels more controlled and mature in these videos.

[@ThePrideofSociety]

Huge agree here. I love showing a less manufactured version of cooking. Makes it feel like it better reflects the cooking experience. It can be messy and sometimes you have to clean things up or scoot things to the side.

[@flyingsodwai1382]

It's dangerous for them. Easy for content thieves to use the footage. Music is easily identifiable by copyright algorithms apparently.

[@andrewgilman8835]

That feeling when you use the wrong hand to touch the raw beef... Been there...

[@Cookwelldotcom]

We try our best then the realization hits…

[@LifeRevealingShorts]

@@Cookwelldotcom when that ADHD hits

[@MrJacobegg]

​@@LifeRevealingShortsit's not ADHD, it's food safety.

[@triaxe-mmb]

​@@MrJacobeggIt could be both

[@alacrijaxproductions]

It doesn't matter. Raw Chicken Experiment guy changed the game.

[@kwerby3285]

I really like how toned down the editing feels. It’s like i’m sitting across the counter just having a conversation.

[@benjaminreynolds3659]

I think this editing style is a bit boring, to each their own.

[@ericconrad8854]

speaking of editing and camera positioning. How would you go about filming a rusty trombone? I feel like a matrix style "bullet time" shot as we go from seeing a salad tossed to the hand job would be best but maybe split screen with the illusion of 2 camera would be best.

[@Psuhockey-cr9if]

@@ericconrad8854this is wild😂😭

[@GatorAidMedical]

Once during camping we had a bread fiasco and ended up making smashburgers with pancakes as buns... godly

[@Cookwelldotcom]

That would also be a killer breakfast sandwich. Smashed breakfast sausage + fried egg served on a pancake…maybe a little cheese or hot sauce?

[@mpowerewd22]

​@@Cookwelldotcomi am 10000000% putting syrup on that

[@markkelso871]

Considering one of the best burgers ive ever eaten had cinnamon involved in it i could see this entire thing working on a strange level.

[@nickh9774]

.......(Takes notes)

[@Polzenfam]

Kind of an opposite issue, got Hamburger Helper (cheeseburger) and forgot to get Ground Beef, only had a pack of breakfast sausage to use... Ended up surprisingly really good.

[@pronumeral1446]

Biting into a raw onion? Congratulations you are now qualified to be Prime Minister of Australia.

[@Uldihaa]

Just a minor point: the reason most people put the cheese directly on the burger is because that is the first cooked side you have when you flip the burger to being onion-side down. They use the time the onion side is cooking to melt the cheese.

[@nodytk]

i've watched hundreds of youtube videos over the years showing off recipes. I've made dozens of those recipes too. I always end up rushing things, or taking too long on other parts, and if i'm honest it's because youtube videos do not properly capture how long you should do things for. They say "cook until x" but you don't really understand what that is or how long it takes to do it, and end up over or undercooking your food. But with your videos, the fact you don't add cuts, the fact we get to watch this in real time, it teaches concepts that I wish i knew years ago. Thank you for this channel and this series. It's perfect for anyone serious about learning to cook

[@delilahboa]

I totally agree with you @nodytk.. .. I’ve watched endless videos on how to cook a steak, I always seemed to panic or ruin them, then after watching Ethan’s tutorials something just ‘clicked’ and I made the best steak I’ve ever done, I was relaxed and loved the process, my husband certainly appreciated Ethan!….. he’s an amazing teacher and the real time lessons are brilliant, love them ……I give Ethan a 👍🏻 before the tutorials even start! 😊

[@Cookwelldotcom]

I couldn’t have said it better myself, that’s exactly why I wanted to make this format!

[@LorienDrechsler]

White onion...$1.44/lb, Shallots...$8.96/lb. Those are today's Walmart prices. I don't know about you, but I don't think shallots taste 622% better than a white onion.

[@TheAshenvictor]

Aren't yellow onions the cheapest and what he uses here? I'm not being nitpicky, just not from the us and here yellow onions are a bit cheaper. I also agree that the shallots might not be six times better in taste, but that's less than 90 cents of onions per burger which doesn't sound too extravagant to me. At least as an option.

[@Monado6]

I think I'll grow my own shallot instead 😅

[@iamhector24]

Who needs a pound? Get 2 and call it a day.

[@tacogodboomdogg]

​@@Monado6It will be more expensive unless you use a lot of them.

[@thelasso9478]

Interesting where I’m at yellow and white onions are $2/lb and shallots are $3

[@elijahbrown9738]

I definitely prefer to take each of those beef balls and split them in half again for a burger with double the maillard, if you want double the onion or same split over 2 patties and most importantly, double the cheese.

[@Cookwelldotcom]

Agreed, that’s what I typically do for my standard smash burger I make at home, but wanted to stay true to the single patty this time around!

[@SlipperySalmon94]

Funny to think when I was growing up.. flipping burgers was a thing your parents would say you'll end up doing through doing badly at school.. now it's a coveted skill to make a good burger! 🍔

[@woodardchuckleson3090]

There's a third option that might not have been considered. You could do a 50/50 mix of both.

[@roberthentosh5635]

Or try red onions. :)

[@orellaminx3530]

I always hate the traditional way of making these burgers. I always put the onions down first and smash a ball of beef onto them. They spend much more time frying in the rendering fat, get much more color and crispyness and your patties stay more tender. Every smash burger I've ever paid for has been tasty, but stupidly rubbery, which is the exact reason I suspect you kept your patties on the thicker side like most people tend to do when making them at home.

[@AlergicToSnow]

My smash burger is two 70g patties flattened very well so they have a laced texture, very brown, and crispy edges. I also like putting the meat on the onions although I’ve had good flavor steaming the onions on the meat, then the buns on top getting steamed with the onion flavor

[@_SurferGeek_]

Love anything with onions. Crying is the price you pay to enjoy them! Over the years, I've noticed that grocers have been peeling the loose papery skins leaving the onions "naked". I guess because someone thought it looked messy? But, what it's resulted in is I see more moldy onions, more with the outer layers turning green (like potatoes) or the outer layers getting dry and tough.

[@alec1984]

Very simple. Get a small fan or any kind of air circulation and you won't cry anymore. Even opening the windows to get a breeze through will help.

[@xyzzer]

@@alec1984what works for me is to get some water in my eyes before cutting the onions. Once you hydrate them well, there isn't much space for the onion vapors to stick to directly and irritate your eyes. Anything that gets there dissolves in the water so it loses all potency.

[@TheJvb123]

I made a ground lamb chopped cheese last week with havarti, goat cheese, and arugula. It was easily one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.

[@shanetwogood7893]

That just sounds amazing. Thanks for the idea.

[@instathrill8845]

Minor nit pick - when you flip to cook the onions, that's when you put the bun on the burger so that the onion evaporation is caught by the bun. which again is why the cheese goes straight on and the bun on top to grab everything and maximize on time to flavor ratio.

[@mfman2]

Every time a cookwell video gets uploaded all I think about is, “welp, I did have a packed day already, but I can make time for this…”

[@noahthompson4098]

Single quarter pounds patties(maybe not even that much) if you want to stay true to Oklahoma Onion burger. Remember it was a burger made to substitute meat due to the Great Depression and the almost equal parts onion and burger is what ultimately makes it so good

[@JK13A]

I'm not someone who thinks a smash burger needs to be paper thin but I prefer them 1/3 pound absolute max and closer to 1/4. I think it results in much better flavor. I want that meat cooked through.

[@drdrako98]

I think we need some leftover/fridge clean out cooks!

[@DouglasMalcolm-vm9ej]

I love the calm pace of your videos

[@MukundNivascr7]

Love the channel dude!

[@theguywhosright9110]

Pro tip for beverage storage, open the back end of the case before putting the box in the fridge, then open the front and push the bottles out the back while you pull the box out of the fridge entirely. You won't have all that dead space in your fridge from the packaging.

[@Clythez]

As one of the aforementioned people that remarked upon the cut in that video, i just want to take a moment to say thank you for listening to the feedback, personally i feel like this does flow better and fit with the vibe of the video, and so would like to see it continue to like this :) Also effing great video, shallots are so versatile and delicious!

[@Goosefang]

Agree with the comments about the patty size. Should have split for 2 patties each. Also need to smash the onions 🧅 right into the patty.

[@frankgyure3154]

Thank you for taking up the shallot crusade. Last couple of years I have been using shallots much more often.

[@neurocosm]

THE CAMERA IS FREE FLOATING ABOVE THE STOVE AS IF TO BE MAGIC :O

[@StitchJones]

Great video!

[@eloquentsarcasm]

As the great sage Uncle Roger says "Onions for poor people, use shallots!" I switched to shallots from red onions a while ago, and don't plan on ever going back. I use them with rice/noodles/beef/chicken/seafood, you name it, little flavor bombs that just add so much.

[@eldoradocanyonro]

I already had some burgers when I saw your onion episode, and really liked the suggestion you made about trying Shallots. I didn't use them exclusively (added in some onions as well), and precooked them a little first to get them closer to caramelized on the final product. Thank you for the idea; we quite enjoyed them. I also have a batch of caramelized shallots in small bags in the freezer now as well. Keep up the great work! Another tip: Asian grocery stores often sell shallots cheaper than your local grocery (Looking at you, HEB)

[@nicoskefalas]

Ouuu I will watch it with interest!! Love your content!

[@seven_hundred-seven_hundred]

Very nice. Thank you.

[@user-un9lx4kp6u]

Thanks for the insight. I expect that I'll try a few options.

[@bbrockert]

This may be super obvious, but just having a fan makes onion chopping tear-free, rather than the compounds wafting straight up to your face.

[@Majin135]

Or just do it near an open window

[@MrAlefloo]

Or stop crying about it

[@delilahboa]

Hi Ethan, THANKS TO YOU, this month, I’ve made the best steak of my life and the best Quesadilla…… you’re the best teacher, the way you explain things, you’ve helped me so much…. Love this channel AND your other channel….. hope you’re well …… Jan in the UK xx❤xx

[@Cookwelldotcom]

Great to hear! Thanks for the kind words!

[@BluePoo52]

Ethan is the only person I get excited to see blindfolded cuz that means I’m gonna learn something 😂

[@BabyMakR]

The key to not crying while cutting onions is to not become emotionally attached to them. They're just onions. Actually I don't cry. I have the ability to block my nose at the back of my soft pallet and that stops me from crying.

[@robo_bravado]

This beef to onion ratio is pretty atypical for this style.

[@St0rm301]

The combination of classic cooking show pace and atmosphere combined with the science/experimenting definitely checks all the boxes for my interest in food content. What I like most about a video like this is that it's different from a classic show like say Good Eats in that you haven't done a ton of research and now you're presenting us the results and why X thing is the best way to do it. It's more like "I had this idea, lets try it out together" and we get to see the whole test from start to finish and learn the results with you.

[@daundredemars5028]

I’m envious of your knife skills

[@jimjones7980]

I've always been told to hold two strike-anywhere matchsticks in my mouth to stop from crying when chopping onions.

[@Ryo39]

SHALLOTS FTW

[@alessandroledda6480]

ofc shallots are gonna win but i hope not cause nem bitches expensive 💀

[@shapeofsoup]

They’re the best.

[@NZtechfreak]

Shallots get my vote.

[@madmex2k]

I live in Oklahoma, I am a big fan of Onion Burgers. For my onion burgers, I try to find Vidalia onions if they are in season, or dark red onions. They give a sweeter onion flavor. Also, I peel off the outer layer of the onion, cut it in half, put it in a ziploc in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. I don't want to freeze it solid, just make the juices less likely to squirt when you slice them. Having a really sharp knife also helps. Nothing worse than dull knives to make you work harder in the kitchen.

[@TakManSan]

We use our wok lid for melting cheese. Perfect height to go over a bacon press.

[@imgsv]

Hey Ethan, great video. Given shallots are generally more expensive per lb/kg. A good test would be the red onion vs the white/yellow onion. Since the red onion is the most similar to shallot maybe you could get more bang for your buck.

[@thegodfather2322]

People with short attention spans gonna hate this video 🤣🤣

[@billbliss7407]

To keep from tearing up when slicing onions or shallots, chill them before you slice them. I go through a lot of onions, so I just keep them in the 'fridge. I wouldn't do that if I didn't use them up in less than a week. Love your videos -- been watching for a long time. I've learned a LOT from watching your blind tests and other vids. Thank you!

[@Dragonstar_aoe]

As much as i like the main channel vids , cook along with no cuts is so much better to follow along for these recipes . Awesome stuff man , ill watch all of these i missed on ur new channel :) .

[@fb1767]

You have a good vision for someone who's blindfolded. 😂😂

[@mlcozad]

Better. A half strip of bacon cut a quarter along the length. After starting to fry, add the onion/shallot and fry to nearly done. To the side, start the burger. When one side is cooked, flip and add bacon-onion mix after a bit, then a slice of cheese. I would add a mix of bits of Colby and medium to sharp cheddar, with perhaps some Pepper Jack. But the top bun on, having lightly buttered. Cover to melt the cheese, binding bun, onion-bacon, and burger together. Toast to side bottom bun. Spread with garlic butter. Though butter then garlic power on it after toasting works. Put together and enjoy. Variant. Add a splash of Hoisin Sauce to the bacon-onion just a bit before putting them on the burger. So you can mix the sauce in. You might want to not use garlic if you use Hoisin or teriyaki. If you want to be freaky. Take two/more thin slices of radish and mince them. Add them to bacon-onion before putting on the burger. It adds a sharp, peppery, freshness. Peppers are not my thing. But you can use your favorite here, with or without, the radish.

[@Franciscoxds]

Pickled onion burger experiment plz

[@JohnWarner-lu8rq]

Onions go on the griddle first. Yep! Cheese on top of the onions.... it helps hold them in place when eating.

[@brianprince3110]

Meat to onion ratio is way off. In Oklahoma they're about 80g.

[@somefreshbread]

and sliced way thinner

[@benjaminreynolds3659]

@@somefreshbread and salted for like 10 minutes and then squeezed to get the excess moisture out of the onion so they actually do crisp up.

[@somefreshbread]

@@benjaminreynolds3659 I haven't heard that one! I don't think even Motz does that step, but I like it!

[@benjaminreynolds3659]

@@somefreshbread kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4PJaHunha2reZo not Motz but where i got the idea from this version

[@fakedeath13]

Man I love shallots I've never thought about trying this... Gotta do it this weekend and find out

[@llewdis]

Now, you should do one that is a combo of both to get the preferred texture and flavor.

[@SlowlyYouRot]

I'm going to try this but with lamb, diced mushrooms and herbs added to the onions, swiss cheese, and sour dough. Fancy gourmet style!

[@mr.c8033]

Hmmm. I'm surprised that you didn't use (for one of the onions), the onion that's is actually the key part of the recipe for a true Oklahoma Onion Burger, and that is a Vidalia onion. They are a unique and remarkably delicious onion that has a stand alone taste.

[@jamesross1003]

You can get a really interesting and different tasting onion by first slicing thin and then rinsing it in ice cold water for a few minutes. It lowers the acid content and makes a very good onion regardless of which onion variety that you choose. Also lowers that sharp raw onion flavor. For the smash burger, just pat the onion slices dry with a paper towel. It makes a big difference in texture and flavor. Try it some time, I think you will agree.

[@mr.c8033]

@@jamesross1003 Thing about it is, you're changing the original recipe. Just like the dude in the video. An Oklahoma Onion Burger (if made exactly as true original recipe), is arguably the worlds most perfect burger. Using the Vidalia onion, it's not necessary to water or ice bath the onion, nor recommended. The onions get steamed on top, then smashed underneath when flipped. That process tames the onion perfectly. Regarding patting the onion; Now you're taking away the moisture that is an important part of the steaming process.

[@jamesross1003]

@@mr.c8033 My point was that rinsing onions changes them and by the way makes them more like vidalia onion. And by the way to call any recipe "arguably the best" is at best an opinion. Myself, I would rather have a smash burger without the onions as would a lot of people. You are getting way too worked up over what I said. When it comes to cooking and recipes, there is arguably not any best in the bunch. It's all preference.

[@jamesross1003]

@@mr.c8033 Also, apparently you care about me changing some sacrosanct recipe. It's all about opinion and your opinion is no better nor worse than mine or anyone else's opinion.

[@R41D]

Cheese goes on top, then bottom bun with Top bun riding on top. To assemble simply remove top bun, Pick up the stack on ur spatula and put the top bun underneath, Pinch and Pull the spatula out and viola! There is a secret side benefit in that the cheese is on the bottom which allows you to remove the top bun easily to then add additional condiments if you wish (with cheese on top your bun can stick/rip etc)

[@rantsandreviews]

In Oklahoma they put the beef on the grill still in "ball" form, add the onions and then smash the patty. I have done it that way and they way you did it. Both are good but the OG way is somehow better.

[@madmex2k]

I agree, the onions get smushed into the meat a little, which is good. Some of those juices go into the meat and make the burger a real happy place!

[@mattm3729]

@@madmex2kthe onions also get really charred right - this looks good but it’s more sautéed

[@user-ep8xo1od9o]

I missed the cooking/recipe videos so much 🥹 glad i found this channel of yours

[@zwordsman]

Alton Brown had a segment on the onion crying. If you wear a ball cap it helps a fair bit if I remember correctly. Because typically they are't coming straight up to your eyes, they're wafting in the air and following your form. So a cap creates a minor wind current around your eyes (like the truck bed?) or something like that. anyway. Either way a cap or visor does help in my experience. but I'm also relatively durable against that poison

[@emptyarthaus9535]

I suffer for onions because I love them so much. 😂

[@ssgtslick]

You used white onion. Trust me, use sweet onion, Vidalia if available.

[@nataliacarrillo7917]

Does anyone else notice that Ethan has the most unique way of saying “interesting” you’ve ever heard? No hate lol, love the videos, just always notice that 😅

[@Artofcarissa]

I’ve been wanting to try Kenji’s Oklahoma Smash burger recipe for awhile now, I do love shallots so this video has come at the right time

[@MrVovansim]

I love Kenji as much as the next guy, but, credit where it's due, Motz is the one who kicked off the current Oklahoma onion burger craze.

[@Artofcarissa]

@@MrVovansimtrue, I just remember seeing Kenji’s video and being enticed by it.

[@TekkHakk]

Tasty burgers.👍 for the Topo Chico, squeeze a bit of lime, and add a pinch of salt on the rim😋

[@TheRealBobBasher]

Your knife work is impressive. I bought a meat grinder and put a chuck roast through it. The difference between store bought and grinding my own was night and day.

[@Cookwelldotcom]

I want to do some ground beef testing soon!

[@SumMagnusVir]

I've been loving smash burger tacos. Where you press the beef onto the tortilla, smash em out them once you flip it fries the tortilla in the beef fat.

[@NZtechfreak]

If you've ever cooked pasta alla genovese you come to realise how much water is in onions (if you haven't made it I definitely recommend!).

[@mikedomfer]

People say if you put onions on the freezer like 10 minutes before cutting them you don't cry

[@michaeltschuertz]

Also yeah the order of how the burger is constructed is important.

[@thomasskywalker8893]

Should’ve tried with red onion also! That’s my favourite one!

[@lukewilson6132]

Great video. I’d also like to see a deep dive on black pepper?

[@shotsfired6976]

I tried shallots with a chopped cheese after watching your onion deep-dive video. It was so damn good!!

[@The_Gallowglass]

"Onion is for poor people. Use Shallot," Uncle Roger

[@peterdoe2617]

Taste-testing side by side is so important! I did that with oytersauce (following the test Pailin Chongchinant did. The differernces are huge!) Btw: do yourself a favour and but any kind of filter on the lens of the camara, when placed on top if the oven. There WIL be some grease on the lens. And it a pest to clean that off.

[@madmex2k]

I don't cry, I leak awesomeness. Also, I prefer any onion to the shallots because of cost ratio if I am doing a lot of burgers. Shallots are harder to find in OK, you have to pay more for a large amount of some really small shallots. Maybe if I was only making 2-3 burgers, shallots might be a fancy thing to use.

[@atxjed]

These are the questions!

[@user-du6zo7zp2k]

I have no idea why this has become a thing. My local market burger van made burgers like this for as long as I can remember.

[@marcies3789]

Impressive knife skills!

[@michaeltschuertz]

Ethan. Idea for a video: Minced meat, i noticed how much time effects the flavour of it, even under vaccum or gas protection. For maximum flavour one needs to have their own grinder.

[@michaeltschuertz]

Are Grinders worth it or something.

[@kmorri9]

I'm genuinely loving this channel. My only thing (and maybe it's just me, and I don't even know how to avoid it from happening) is the sound of Ethan chewing. I know a lot of people like that, but when it's the only sound and it's so clear to hear him chewing, it grosses me the F out.

[@Cookwelldotcom]

We can work on lowering the audio during that part of the video!

[@NZtechfreak]

Misophonia, the sound of people eating does that to me too.

[@davegallagher5121]

Mad knife skills

[@kumaboy21]

Nice Video. I never thought of using shallots on Smashburger. Now I can't wait to try it. I have one question. What is that fancy knife you use only to cut onions in this video. Is it a Devin...???

[@RCAReacts]

Well, I was planning on making a burger tonight but I guess I gotta go run to the HEB to pick up a shallot...and some Topo. Thanks Ethan!

[@RCAReacts]

Well, just made this with the shallots…I agree, I don’t care about the texture of the onion, the shallots provided a MUCH better flavor, especially if you can char them a little. It was a smokey, almost coffee type flavor that worked beautifully on a burger. This is my go-to burger method from now on.

[@dapete]

I defy anyone to detect the "onion steam flavor" in their bun with such a flavorful burger. More likely the practice was to enliven stale buns during the depression

[@mencken8]

I’m sure they’re different, but it all comes down to something subjective. I can’t imagine, in my own case, experiencing that much difference that I’d switch to shallots.

[@JosephWanninger]

Like the video. On your site, you have links to the knives you use, but the knife in this video is clearly not the generic knife that’s on Amazon. What knife are you using in this video? Thanks

[@squirrelcovers6340]

Put a pat of butter down before you flip the shallot one and it won't burn.

[@hogue3666]

It seems like there should have been a bite of BOTH at the same time in here somewhere. Haha.

[@vicsstang89]

From this video, I will try a mix of shallot and onions.

[@Olichi60]

If you don't want to cry while prepping onions then don't cut into the root end until the last moment. Keep away from the root and you will keep away the tears.

[@xger21]

Do you have a video somewhere where you testing smashing versus just pre-forming the burgers?

[@bplotts1]

What did you use for the palate cleanser?

[@DoctorWho8]

As Uncle Roger says, "Onions are for poor people. Use shallots!"

[@goldensperm9667]

Bro is a one man army

[@spiderwrangler4457]

Need the half shallot, half white onion version.

[@deepitjain]

Only if shallots were a bit cheaper. This is why I always go with red onions!

[@MrVovansim]

It's funny, because the rule of thumb has always been that red onions do not get the heat treatment. You either eat them raw or pickled. The fact that it's ok to cook them now is crazy, haha. 😂

[@KaitouKaiju]

​@@MrVovansimReminds me of the time Scott Conant went ballistic on a MasterChef contestant for using raw red onion after he explicitly told them he hates it

[@chicomarlin1246]

Intro music had me thinking I was watching The Why Files

[@ahha6304]

the best is.... Fried shallot over onion beef in burger

[@markschmitz3028]

You just can’t help constantly moving your food around. Let it sit and you shouldn’t have to scrape it off. It will release when seared.