By ARIANNA SOLIMENE
Our view on burgers is that thickness is king. Sliders allow you to maintain a perfectly thick patty, without having to form a half-pound of beef to keep the proportions correct as you would with a full size bun. We’re here to share our recipe for the perfect beef slider, a crowd tested favorite you’re sure to love. The secret lies in the Cambozola cheese, a creamy blue brie that becomes more of a thick sauce when melted, and really pairs well with the beef and pretzel bun.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 Onion (we prefer Red, but it’s up to you!)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- 4 pretzel rolls (about 3 inches in diameter)
- 1 lb. ground beef (15% lean works best)
- 4 ounces Cambozola cheese, chunked
- 4 cocktail skewers
- Plenty of napkins
Preparing the Grill
If possible, use charcoal. The dry heat of a charcoal fire delivers an excellent crust on the outside of the burger, helping to seal in the juicy goodness of the beef. In general, the grilling surface should be between 600°F and 700°F. If you have the ability to set more than one temperature, prepare a separate cooler surface around 400°F for toasting the buns.
Let’s Get Cooking
Slice your onion into ¾ inch thick slices, oil both sides and liberally season with salt.
Cut your pretzel rolls in half and dip the cut ends in a bit of olive oil. An easy way to do this is to pour the oil on a plate and dip the bun halves for an even coating. Season lightly with salt.
Form your ground beef into patties 1 inch larger in diameter than the rolls, and about ¾ inch thick. The reason to form them larger than the bun, is so they are just the right size when they shrink a bit on the grill. An added tip is to recess the center of the patties so they flatten out on the grill when they plump in the middle. Brush each patty with olive oil on all sides to achieve a nice crust on the grill, and be sure to season your patty with salt to bring out the wonderful meaty flavor.
Place the onions on the grill a few minutes before the patties, and grill them until translucent and soft (about 10 minutes). When ready, break the onion down into rings to top the burger.
Grill the patties, 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once. When you flip the burgers, place a large ring of onion on top of each patty, and a smaller ring inside the larger ring, followed by your cheese on top. The onion will help hold the cheese on the patty as it melts.
When the cheese starts to melt, add your buns, oiled side down to the cooler part of the grill or the warming rack for a nice toast.
Finally, place the burgers in the buns and enjoy!
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For more recipes, grilling tips and information on our outdoor kitchens, visit kalamazoogourmet.com