The components of each sandwich include a thin layer of beef and a layer of caramelized onions sandwiched between two pieces of bread.
In El Reno, a small industrial town located to the west of Oklahoma City along the legendary Route 66, Sid’s Diner is bustling with activity as it prepares lunch for diners. In an atmosphere filled with the aroma of onions and grease, patrons eagerly “devour” the sandwich that originated from humble beginnings but is famous for its love and care.
Adam, the second-generation owner of Sid’s Diner, took over the restaurant from his father, Marty Hall. On a flat iron grill, he presses the onions into the seasoned minced beef. As the meat begins to cook and develops a lovely crispy crust, Adam deftly flips the onions underneath, allowing the grease and grill to create a delicious layer of caramelized onions.
Adam continues his father’s tradition of selling onion sandwiches.
Marty Hall made a living selling the famous onion sandwich of Oklahoma, flipping 5 million sandwiches in his lifetime. This dish is so beloved that every first weekend of May, the entire town of El Reno shuts down to host a festival dedicated to it. Here, nearly 30,000 people from across the country flock to witness the process of preparing a gigantic onion sandwich weighing nearly 400 kilograms.
The Birth of the Sandwich During the Great Depression
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Oklahoma – like many other states in the US – faced countless difficulties. Improper farming methods turned many areas into seas of sand, making food items like beef scarce.
Larry O’Dell, the communications and development director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, states: “Everything in Oklahoma was very expensive during the crisis, but onions were completely the opposite; they were very cheap and easy to grow.”
Onions were initially used due to their low cost and ease of cultivation.
For this reason, a dreamer named Ross Davis and his father came up with a new dish: the onion sandwich. He sliced the onions thinly, sautéed them in a hot pan, and stuffed them into sandwiches. Believing that the dish would be popular due to its delicious flavor and affordable price, they decided to open a shop selling this item along the famous Route 66 highway.
Emerging from the high costs and food scarcity of the Great Depression, the dish was given the quirky nickname “the Great Depression sandwich.” It quickly gained acceptance within the entire El Reno community and even became a unique local cultural emblem.
“When we ask people what we are known for, the answer is definitely: the onion sandwich,” said Shana Ford, the executive director of the Onion Sandwich Festival in town.
The Perfect Onion Sandwich
Marty Hall began his sandwich empire at a young age. Born in El Reno, he worked as a dishwasher at a small sandwich shop named Johnnie’s Hamburgers and Coneys when he was just 13, where his first job was peeling onions.
“I had never peeled so many onions in my life. That’s where I learned how to make the onion sandwich.”
By the age of 19, Hall purchased a restaurant named Dairy Hut, serving the famous onion sandwich of El Reno along with fries and soft serve ice cream. He owned this restaurant for 13 years, flipping onion sandwiches daily before establishing Sid’s Diner in 1989 and achieving fame.
Today, Hall and his son Adam serve the onion sandwich with all the toppings that customers request. However, according to them, the best way to enjoy this amazing dish is with a bit of mustard and a few slices of pickles.
The giant sandwich prepared at the local festival.
Hall shares the recipe for creating the perfect sandwich: “I use finely ground beef and thinly sliced yellow Spanish onions in a ratio of 80/20. Additionally, I also add salt, pepper, and bacon.”
Although created out of necessity, the caramelized onion “specialty” is now served in sandwich shops nationwide. Even renowned culinary publications have paid homage to this humble dish. For the people of Oklahoma, the onion sandwich truly represents a historical flavor and the soul of the state.
“We grew up with the onion sandwich. People find it delicious when they first eat it, but it’s the dish that nourished us. I can’t quite explain the flavor; I just know it tastes like Oklahoma, like family,” Larry O’Dell remarked.
