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Sliders are just the cutest little things to serve a crowd. And because of their cuteness, it seems they need gussying up with more than the traditional burger fare of mustard, ketchup and pickle or onion.
My sliders are topped with guacamole and a dollop of salsa, a grilled baby portabella mushroom and Swiss cheese, and grilled red onions and tangy horseradish mayonnaise.
Some grocery stores sell pre-made slider patties at the meat counter. Keep in mind that they shrink a little when grilled. Or you can make your own. But you don’t have to stop at beef. You can make ground chicken or turkey sliders, too.
Grill sliders the same way you would a regular burger. I like ground beef cooked to about medium doneness, just a few minutes per side.
Once cooked, top with desired toppings, or set out the toppings for your guests to create their own.
When it comes to buns or rolls, many stores sell slider-specific buns. Some even make their own. But you have to be careful. The slider buns I bought were too big for the meat. They were a store brand and cost more than regular hamburger buns.
Buns are not the only option. I’ve had good luck using dinner rolls for sliders. They’re just about the right size. A few years ago, a reader told me to use a hot dog bun cut into thirds. That works fine, but I don’t always want all that bread.
When I use Hawaiian rolls, I cut them in half and then cut about a quarter inch off each half. This works best if the rolls are chilled. Save the portion you cut off in plastic bags in the freezer and use them for bread crumbs.
I’ve also made smaller sliders, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, and nestled them into mini pitas (about 3 inches in diameter). You can cut off one side of the pita and stuff the mini burger inside or cut the pita in half horizontally, making two pieces. You can serve these as appetizers.
Beef Sliders Three Ways
Makes 12, four of each kind
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
For the guacamole sliders:
1/2 cup prepared guacamole
4 tablespoons salsa
4 tablespoons shredded Mexican cheese blend
For the mushroom sliders:
4 baby bella mushrooms, about 2 inches in diameter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
Small torn pieces of lettuce
For the horseradish mayo:
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish or to taste
Small torn pieces of lettuce
For the sliders:
12 beef sliders, 2 to 2-1/2 ounces each
Salt and black pepper to taste
12 slider buns
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Assemble all of the slider ingredients. Set aside the guacamole and salsa. Wipe the mushrooms clean, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes per side. Cut each Swiss cheese slice into quarters.
Brush the red onion slices with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onion slices at the same time you grill the mushrooms until they are tender.
Mix the mayonnaise with the horseradish.
Season the sliders on each side with some salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, oil the grates. Grill the sliders about 3 minutes on each side. Grill the slider buns if desired.
Remove sliders from the grill.
For the guacamole sliders: On the bottoms of four slider buns, spread some guacamole. Place a slider on top, and top with some salsa and shredded Mexican cheese blend.
For the mushroom sliders: Place some lettuce on the bottom bun and top with a slider. Add a quarter-piece of Swiss cheese ,and top with a grilled mushroom.
For the horseradish mayo: Place some lettuce leaves on a bottom bun. Top with the grilled red onion and a slider. Place a dollop of the horseradish mayonnaise on the slider.
