Homemade Sliders are the best because you don’t need to cut back on the bacon or cheese!
I’m pleased to announce that I have joined my fellow bloggers for #SundaySupper. This hashtag has been around for a while, and I have always wondered what it was. When I learned that a group of food bloggers was coming together on Sundays to “break bread,” preparing a menu around the table for Sunday dinner, I was eager to participate, especially since this week’s topic: Memorial Day Favorites.
I was only able to join at the last minute, so I had little time to plan my #SundaySupper. After about 30 seconds, I (or Jason, should I say) thought of green chili cheeseburgers. Jason then said, “You must have bacon in them.” And so we have these amazing pretzel slider buns that are made into green chili bacon cheddar burger sliders. These pretzel slider buns were a Costco find. I couldn’t resist buying a bag of 16 rolls, even though it was way too many for Jason and me. I bought a huge load of buns and ran home to slather some butter on one of them before unpacking any of my groceries. Yeah, I don’t have any patience.
Let’s now talk about these sliders. The meat has been stuffed with green chilies, extra seasoning, and, best of all, Monterey-jack cheese cubes. These guys are loaded with cheese. They actually end up oozing out awesome goodness after they’re cooked in bacon grease. You heard me. Bacon. Fat. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without it. They are then topped with more cheese, crispy bacon strips, an incredible green chili sauce, and lettuce and tomatoes. The sandwich spread of your choice can be added to the burgers. I chose homemade sauces because I had leftovers. To the four burgers I had, I said spicy mayo, roasted pepper cream sauce, homemade ranch, and a fourth without any sauce.
Jason and I agreed that after we had eaten all four burgers, the spicy chipotle burger with mayo was the best. It was creamy, spicy, and a perfect match for the green chili sauce. In my “healthy” attempt, I made two of the hamburgers without bacon. But Jason was right. It would be best if you had bacon. I’m not sure what I thought.
How to make it: First, we start with green chili sauce. Mix the green chilis (reserving the half of the can we’ll use for the burgers), lime juice, honey, and the reserved half of the can. Stir it well.
For the patties, combine ground beef (I’ve always used 80/20 when making burgers) and the remaining 1/2 can of green chilis and cheese cubes. Add garlic, cumin powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. This is something I do with my hands.
The bacon should be drained on a plate lined with paper towels, and the fat from the bacon can be saved. Add the patties into the skillet, and cook them for 3-4 minutes each side to achieve medium-rare.
A metal bowl is placed on top to allow the cheese to melt. Keep an eye on it, as it only took a few minutes. If you are going to try this, please be very careful when you lift the bowl. It’s hot!
Serve the burgers with your favorite sandwich spread, bacon, green chili, lettuce, and tomatoes on top of the rolls. Go ahead and eat these. I won’t be judged.
Ingredients
- Green chiles diced in 2 4-ounce cans, divided
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- Freshly squeezed lime juice, one tablespoon
- 1 pound of ground beef
- Cut 3 ounces of Monterey Jack into small cubes. Plus, more for topping
- Two cloves garlic, minced
- Cumin ground to 1/2 teaspoon
- Half a teaspoon of onion powder
- To taste, add Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- Bacon 4 slices
- Toasted four split pretzel buns for serving
- Lettuce for serving
- Two Roma tomatoes thinly sliced for serving
Instructions
- Combine 1 1/2 cans of green chiles with the lime juice, honey, and a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine ground beef with garlic, cumin, and onion powder in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture into four balls and lightly press each one to make 1/4-inch thick patties.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crispy and brown, approximately 6-8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, and reserve the bacon fat.
- Cook patties in the skillet until they are browned, cooked through, and medium rare. This should take about 3-4 minutes on each side. Flip only once. Add additional Monterey-jack cheese to each patty at the last minute, and cover with a lid so that it melts.
- Serve the burgers with lettuce, tomatoes, green chili sauce, and bacon on rolls.