As you know, I’m big on forgiving recipes. Nothing is more forgiving than burgers when it comes to seasoning. I’ve made a fairly fool-proof recipe that is sure to please a variety of eaters. Thanks to Whole Foods Lexington, I was able to create EPIC burger sliders for a brunch gathering of local bloggers in my area. I created mini sliders topped with Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon, Arugula, and a fresh Avocado Crema. These little bites made for a big hit among the bloggers and were super easy to make. You can assemble these sliders for your guests or give them a DIY option in case they don’t like a layer. Follow the directions below to whip up these sliders for your next event! Yields approximately 24 sliders.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 lb ground beef (at least 10% fat)
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons of Bourbon
- 2 dozen Hawaiian rolls (or equivalent)
- Mayo
- Olive oil
- Heavy cream
- Whole grain mustard
- 3 avocados
- 1 red onion
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh cilantro
- Minced garlic
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Fresh baby arugula
- 1 stick of butter
- Balsamic glaze
- Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut strips of bacon in half and lay side by side on foil-lined baking sheet.
- Using a silicon brush, generously coat bacon in bourbon. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.
- Bake bacon for 45 minutes or until dark and crispy. Remove from baking sheet to drain excess grease, but be careful not to remove the bourbon sugar from the top.
- Combine room temperature ground beef with bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of whole grain mustard, 1 half red onion minced, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze. Work together until even combined.
- Finely chop ½ cup of parsley. Fold in parsley and 1 teaspoon of pepper, sea salt, paprika, and chili powder. Use additional spices to taste.
- Once thoroughly combined, create small palm-size patties that are about 1-inch-thick and 4 inches in diameter. Push your thumb gently into the center of the patty to create an impression before cooking.
- Using a meat thermometer, grill burger patties or cook on stovetop until reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees for a medium pink interior.
- In a new bowl, combine 3 avocados (mashed) with 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and heavy cream as needed to reach liquid consistency. The avocado crema should hold its general shape, but be thin enough to spoon onto sliders and spread slightly itself.
- Light butter each inside of the rolls and sear quickly in pan on medium heat to brown the slider buns.
- Build your sliders in a deep over-safe pan, by laying bottoms of the Hawaiian Rolls (or potato rolls) down first.
- Add burger patty and top with one slice of the bourbon brown sugar bacon. Place tops on sliders.
- In the microwave, melt half a stick of butter seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the tops of the sliders with the butter mixture. Place in oven on 300 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top sliders with a generously amount of avocado crema and a handful of freshly washed arugula. Enjoy!
This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Lexington. Recipe can also be recreated with ground turkey or sausage in place of ground beef!