Oklahoma onion burger with creamy coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 0.5 tbsp. barbecue sauce
• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 12 pickled pepperoncini peppers + 2 tablespoons liquid from the jar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. l. smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 package (400 g) of coleslaw mix
• 450 g of ground beef with 20% fat content
• 8 slices American cheese
• 1 cup Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
• 16 slices of pickled cucumbers
• 4 soft potato buns, cut in half on the sides
• Canola oil to grease the griddle or griddle
• Special equipment: mandoline vegetable slicer

Preparation:

1. Preheat a grill surface, large grill pan, or large cast iron skillet over medium heat for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the pepperoncini liquid, mustard, smoked paprika, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finely chop the pepperoncini and toss in a large bowl with the coleslaw. Add three-quarters of the sauce and toss to combine. Set aside the remaining sauce for the buns and patties.
3. Form the ground beef into 4 balls. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
4. Grease a skillet with vegetable oil and add 1 meatball. Place 1/4 cup thinly sliced ​​onion on top of the meatball and flatten it with a heavy metal spatula. You want to flatten the patty so that the onion is pressed into the pan, making it larger than the bun. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the onion is steamed and caramelized, about 2 minutes. If necessary, press the patties down again with a spatula to achieve the Maillard reaction (see Note).
5. Spread 1 tablespoon of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the patty, then add 2 slices of cheese and fry until melted, 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining ground beef, frying the patties in two batches.
6. Meanwhile, spread mayonnaise sauce on the bottom halves of the buns and place 4 slices of pickled cucumbers on top.
7. Once the cheese has melted, place each patty on the bottom half of a bun and top with 1/4 cup of coleslaw. Top with the top halves of the buns and enjoy! Your friends will thank you.
   
   Note
   
   When the sugars and proteins in the beef are heated, a Maillard reaction occurs, which results in a beautiful caramelization of the patties.