It's no exaggeration to say that Josh Ozersky is something of an expert on burgers. He literally wrote the book on the subject—The Hamburger: A History. His favorite burger, which is really saying something, comes from Jose Soto, who was the grill cook at the now defunct White Diamond, a slider joint in Linden, New Jersey. Ozersky managed to coax the recipe, which owes as much to the technique as the ingredients, out of Soto, and made it his own. Then he shared it with us.
Josh says the recipe is “simple, but it isn’t easy, because it has to be done quickly, so it may need some practice.” The sliders are cooked individually, and Josh warns that each one gets a little harder to cook because the pan becomes messier. You should find, however, that the results are well worth any difficulty.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 10 sliders
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Arrange the individual cheese slices and open the buns on a platter or cutting board near your cooking surface. Once the burgers start to cook, you will need them quickly. Divide the meat into 10 even portions. Roll each one into a meatball about the size of a ping-pong ball.
Step 2
Dice the onion medium-fine and place in a small bowl. Add warm salted water just to cover and set beside the stove. Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. If you have an infrared thermometer, the skillet should register at least 500°F (250°C). Or test by brushing on a bit of oil. When the skillet starts to smoke, it is ready.
Step 3
While the skillet is heating, working one at a time, flatten a meatball slightly and sprinkle it liberally on both sides with kosher salt. Salt drives much of this recipe. Brush oil onto the skillet and place the flattened ball on it. Just after it hits the pan, flip it over and using a solid, reinforced metal spatula, press hard to flatten it. You want it really thin. Do this just once, while the meat is still cold.
Step 4
After the burger has sizzled for about 30 to 40 seconds, top with about a tablespoon (15 g) of the watery onions. This will produce a good amount of onion fumes. That’s okay. Spread the water and onions as evenly as you can and press them gently into the meat; don’t squish down hard.
Step 5
Wait another 30 seconds and taking great care to lift the meat from the pan with its crust intact, flip it over. Immediately put a slice of cheese on the meat and a bottom bun on top of the cheese. Wait another 10 to 15 seconds and remove onto a top bun. Invert onto serving platter and repeat to make 10 sliders. Serve with condiments of your choice.
Recipe notes
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