How to Make Good Homemade Hamburger Sliders

A healthy dose of sliced onions imbues sliders with their juicy flavor.

According to Linda Johnson Larsen's "Knack Grilling Basics," Walter Anderson, owner of the fast food giant White Castle, invented the miniature burgers his burger chain famously sells. While White Castle may have popularized the mini-burger, also known as a slider, the tiny burgers are now served from the kitchens of many restaurants and diners across the country. You can bring the savory flavor of sliders into your kitchen, too, by making your own hamburger sliders.

Things You'll Need

• Large yellow onion
• Sharp kitchen knife
• Bowl
• Kosher salt
• Stove
• Pan
• Spatula
• Ground beef, 5 oz
• American cheese, three slices
• Three party sized 2-inch potato rolls
• Plate

Instructions

1. Peel the skin off the onion and slice it into long, thin pieces. Slice the onion from pole to pole instead of horizontally through its center to keep the onion slices from getting a too-stringy, unappetizing texture.

2. Add the onions to a mixing bowl and dust them with a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Allow the onions to sit covered in salt for ten minutes while your heat your pan.

3. Divide the beef into three evenly proportioned balls of meat. Flatten the balls so they're about ½ inch thick.

4. Heat your pan over medium low heat, and then add your prepared onions to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and spread the onions into a layer. Cook the onions this way until they're a nice light brown color on the bottom.

5. Place your flattened patties on top of the onions, and then sprinkle the patties with Kosher salt and pepper. Place a slice of cheese over each patty.

6. Cut each roll in half through the center, like a burger bun. Place the bottom half of each roll over the cooking patties, and then set the other half of the buns on top of their mates, so the entire bun can benefit from the oniony cooking steam.

7. Cook the sliders like this over low heat for three minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked. Remove each slider from the pan, place the sliders on a plate and assemble the sliders after adding any desired condiments and a scoop of onions from the pan.

Tips & Warnings

• Double the ingredients to make more than a single three-slider serving.

• To make a healthier set of sliders, use extra-lean ground beef and whole-wheat rolls.

References

• "Knack Grilling Basics"; Linda Johnson Larsen, Debi Harbin; 2009
• "Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin"; Kenny Shopsin, Carolynn Carreno; 2008
• Oklahoma State University 4-H: Build a Burger
• Serious Eats: The Ultimate Sliders Recipe

Resources

• St. Petersburg Times: Mini Burgers, Mighty Taste