Ep 12. Oklahoma Onion Burgers and Louisiana Meat Pies

In season 7 episode 12 of Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen, titled "Oklahoma Onion Burgers and Louisiana Meat Pies," the team explores classic regional recipes from two different states.

First up are the onion burgers, a beloved staple in Oklahoma. Hosts Bridget and Julia team up with chef Keith Luce to perfect the recipe, which involves mixing grated onions into the ground beef and cooking the patties on a griddle. They experiment with different ratios of onions and meat, as well as different cooking methods, before settling on the perfect combination. The result is a juicy, flavorful burger that has a crispy crust and a caramelized onion flavor throughout. The team also explores the history of the onion burger, visiting a local diner that has been serving it since the 1920s.

Next, the show turns to Louisiana meat pies, which are a savory hand-held pastry filled with spiced ground beef and vegetables. Host Dan Souza takes on this recipe, experimenting with different flours for the pastry dough and trying different spice blends for the filling. He also tests out different ways of sealing the pies, to ensure that they don't leak during baking. The final result is a rich, savory pie that has a flaky and buttery pastry shell. The team also delves into the history of the meat pie, tracing its roots to the French and Spanish colonizers of Louisiana.

In addition to these main recipes, the show also includes a taste test of pre-packaged hamburger buns. The team tries out a range of buns, from supermarket brands to artisanal options, to see which ones hold up best to the juicy and flavorful onion burgers. They also examine the nutritional content of each bun, looking at factors like calories and fiber.

Throughout the episode, the team also shares tips and tricks for working with ground beef, including how to form patties that cook evenly and how to elevate the flavor with spices and seasonings. They also provide advice on how to perfectly roll out pastry dough, and how to make sure that pies cook evenly and hold their shape. Along the way, they share anecdotes and insights into the regional cuisines of Oklahoma and Louisiana, painting a rich and colorful picture of these unique culinary traditions.