Recipe Background
Poolside Sliders bring family fun to your grill with vibrant flavors and easy assembly.
The first time I whipped up these poolside sliders was on a sweltering July afternoon during a family reunion. With cousins splashing and cannonballing into the pool, I wanted something that was quick yet packed a punch of flavor. Lean ground beef and ground pork gave the patties a juicy kick, while I knew a touch of white pepper would add subtle heat. Everything started coming together when I spotted a bag of slider buns, just begging to be toasted to perfection.
That day was also the first time my younger cousin, who had just returned from culinary school, decided to take over the grill. He had this knack for knowing when the grill marks were just right, and seeing him work reminded me that family meals are as much about learning as they are about eating. I chose to sauté the onions with a bit of butter until they were deeply golden, a trick my grandmother had taught me. Using romaine hearts in the mayo-mustard mix kept every bite fresh, with a splash of lemon juice to brighten it up.
As I served these sliders on a sun-warmed table, the cheese slices melted just right, draping over each patty like a cozy blanket. The secret, as I found, is in letting the patties rest momentarily, ensuring every slice stayed together when bitten into. That afternoon proved that these little wonders, smaller than your average burger but mighty in flavor, were as much a part of the reunion as any story told poolside.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces butter
- 1 cup yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 12 ounces lean ground beef
- 12 ounces ground pork
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup romaine hearts thinly shredded
- 12 (2-2.5-inch) slider buns toasted
- 12 slices cheese
Directions
- Preheat the grill.
- In a sauté pan over high heat, add the butter, the onions, the white pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook until the butter melts.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook the onion mixture until the onions are slightly browned on the edges, about 7-8 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the beef, the pork, the remaining salt, and the pepper together. Be careful not to overmix.
- Portion the meat into twelve 2-ounce balls and flatten them into 2-1/2-inch-round patties.
- Grill the burgers on each side until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- While the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, the mustard, the lemon juice, and the romaine together.
- Top the bottom buns with the lettuce mixture, the burgers, the onions, the cheese, and the top buns.
- Serve.
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