Sliders
While conventional wisdom is that bigger is always better, I've found that is decidedly not the case when it comes to burgers. A few years ago, after having some damn tasty sliders out at a local bar, I decided to give them a try at home. And while, I do still make big, huge, manly half pound burgers occasionally, I've really gotten into these tiny little versions. My wife and kids love them, and I love the fact that with a couple (or a few) on my plate, I can vary the toppings, and hit a few of my favorites at the same meal. They cook fast, and are super easy to make. Hope you enjoy them.
Recipe Overview and Keys to Success
To make the best sliders just make sure you follow these key steps:
- Traditional buns won't work, they are just too much bread. I've started to see mini-buns in the store, and I use those sometimes. But I'll also sometimes use dinner rolls – which I make have to trim a bit so I keep a good ratio of bread to meat.
- It's easy to make the sliders to big. The first couple times you make them err on the side of smaller. And you make want to use a circle mold to make them all the same size
- Season the sliders liberally with salt and pepper, right before you cook them, in a medium hot plan
- You only need to flip them once, and don't press down on them. They are super small and will only take about 2 – 3 minutes to cook through
- Finally, because they cook so quickly, get everything else (any toppings, toasting the bun if you prefer, etc) done before you start cooking them
- 1 lb ground beef (I like chuck)
- 4 oz Blue (or your favorite) Cheese
- 1 Large yellow onion
- 8 mini rolls
- Salt & pepper
- Slice the onion into then strips, and sauté in olive oil over medium heat (seasoned with salt and pepper) until brown and tender, about 20 minutes
- Divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions, and then form them into thin patties slightly wider than the buns you are using (the burgers shrink when cooked)
- Heat a (I like non-stick) pan over medium high heat for a few minutes, and then coat with a thin layer of olive oil
- Lay the sliders down to sear on one side and let them go for about 1 minute
- Flip them in the order you put them into the pan, and then top each with some of the caramelized onions, and a little blue cheese
- Put a lid on the sauté pan, and cook for another minute covered
- Kill the heat, if the cheese is slightly melted, remove the sliders from the pan, if not keep covered for another 30 seconds to a minute, then remove the sliders
- Allow the sliders to rest for 1 – 2 minutes, then slide (pun intended) them onto a roll, top with your favorite sauces and enjoy!!
I love a zinfandel with burgers, and I think it's the perfect wine for these sliders. Not to stuffy or formal, zin's are big enough to stand up to the beef, cheese, and onions, and are a great match.
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