Description
Ina Garten’s classic sliders bring delightful miniature cheeseburgers to elegant cocktail parties. Small beef patties deliver rich flavor with simple ingredients and expert culinary technique that will delight guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (907 grams) ground Niman Ranch beef or other premium beef (80% lean and 20% fat)
- 6 ounces (170 grams) grated Gruyère cheese
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) good olive oil
- 12 mini brioche, onion, or hamburger buns, split
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 3 small red tomatoes, sliced
- 4 ounces (113 grams) baby arugula
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Good ketchup, for serving
Instructions
- Grill Preparation: Configure charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat, ensuring even and intense cooking surface.
- Meat Composition: In a large mixing bowl, blend ground beef with olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Blend gently using a fork to preserve meat’s delicate structure.
- Patty Formation and Grilling: Divide meat mixture into 12 uniform mini patties. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, aiming for desired doneness. During final cooking moments, top each patty with Gruyère cheese and close grill lid to facilitate smooth melting.
- Resting and Bread Treatment: Remove patties from grill, tent with foil for 5 minutes to redistribute internal juices. Simultaneously, toast bun halves on grill’s surface for approximately 15 seconds until edges turn golden.
- Final Assembly: Layer toasted bun bottoms with cheese-covered patties. Garnish with tomato slices and arugula, seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Crown with bun tops and serve immediately alongside ketchup.
Notes
- Meat Handling Tip: Avoid overworking ground beef when mixing to prevent tough, dense sliders with compressed texture.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Close grill lid during final cheese-topping stage to create perfect, even melt and enhance flavor infusion.
- Temperature Control: Use instant-read thermometer to check internal burger temperature (medium-rare: 135°F, medium: 145°F) for precise doneness.
- Resting Importance: Allow cooked sliders to rest under foil for 5 minutes, ensuring juices redistribute and maintain maximum tenderness and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg