If you haven’t spent time in Oklahoma City, you’ve probably never heard of a Theta burger. But for me, who was born there and heard my dad order one just about every time we were back in town to visit family, I didn’t even know they were a regional specialty until I was an adult. Life is kind of like that in the South; it’s hard to know which things are unique until you go somewhere without them.
A Theta burger isn’t so much as a one-of-a-kind flavor as it is a specific regional combination. Any good Theta burger starts with a beef patty—it comes from Oklahoma, after all—and a quality bun. The key ingredients come in next: Cheddar cheese (often shredded), creamy mayonnaise, tangy pickles, and a smoky hickory sauce. Theta burgers feature familiar flavors in a transcendent mix. The pickles cut through the richness of the mayo while the hickory sauce’s sweetness plays very nicely with the savory cheese. It’s a go-to order for many Okies because of its balanced taste and history in the area.
The Theta’s Origin
The actual story of the Theta burger is a bit murky. Some people say it originated at the now-closed Split-T restaurant. Others tell a tale of a sorority at the University of Oklahoma, the tastemaking members of which ordered the combination frequently enough at a local spot that it ended upon the menu under their name—hence the Theta. Wherever it sprang from, everyone who has ever chowed down on one is thankful. From its origin, it spread through OKC and became a fixture on menus at many family-favorite establishments.
What Is Hickory Sauce?
Hickory sauce is really what sets apart the Theta from similar barbecue sauce or Western burgers. This is another Oklahoma specialty—and its secret recipe remains a mystery. It is similar in flavor to barbecue sauce, though it skews more tomato-forward than traditional barbecue. You can see this clearly in its more reddish hue and the rougher consistency of the sauce. Its balance of tomato, sweetness, and hickory smoke flavors leads to a unique flavor profile that really makes a Theta burger what it is.
My Theta Of Choice
My family’s favorite Theta can be found at Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler, a staple of Oklahoma City since the 1970s. The original Johnnie’s sat at the corner of Military Avenue and Britton Road, and there are now four in the metro area. Their charcoal-imparted patties, sesame seed buns, and hand-grated cheese make every burger there a masterpiece. Many of the restaurants that were known for their Thetas, like the beloved Charcoal Oven or the maybe-creator Split-T, are now closed, so Johnnie’s has become an even more important part of the OKC food scene. If you stop by yourself to try, I recommend pairing your Theta with their cheese fries or their delicious onion rings…