Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • divided
  • 3 Russet potatoes
  • peeled
  • Cooking spray
  • Fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large onions
  • quartered
  • peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • Salt
  • White pepper and finely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons pickle relish
  • such as Wickles
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon safflower
  • vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
  • 8 slices sharp American cheese
  • such as Cooper
  • mild cheddar or Swiss
  • 4 potato burger rolls
  • Chopped iceberg or gem Romaine lettuce
  • Bread-and-butter pickle slices

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 425°F
  • Place 2 tablespoons vinegar and about 3 cups water in a bowl
  • Cut the peeled potatoes first into planks then into thin fries
  • Add fries to vinegar bath and soak 20 minutes
  • Drain fries and dry, then spread them out on a large baking sheet in a single layer
  • Sprinkle fries with remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar and spray with cooking spray
  • Season with salt and roast 20 minutes; turn fries over and roast 20 more minutes
  • Remove from oven and salt to taste
  • While the fries are cooking, in a skillet over medium heat, melt butter for the onions
  • Add onions and bay, and season with salt and both peppers
  • Cook onions 15-20 minutes until very soft and light caramel in color
  • Add 1 cup of water and cook 10 minutes longer until onions are a deep caramel color and the water has been absorbed
  • In a bowl, combine sour cream, ketchup, relish and Worcestershire sauce
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat with oil, 1 turn of the pan
  • Divide the meat into four portions and loosely roll each portion into a ball
  • Add balls to the hot pan and smash them into patties with a metal burger spatula
  • Season with salt and pepper, and cook 3 minutes then flip and top each patty with 2 slices of cheese
  • Cook burgers 2-3 minutes more, tenting with foil to melt the cheese
  • To build the burgers, slather sauce on the bun bottoms and top with lettuce, pickles, a burger patty and some sweet onions
  • Set bun tops in place and serve