Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Special Sauce
- 120 g mayonnaise, full-fat
- 30 g sweet pickle relish
- 15 g yellow mustard
- 5 ml white vinegar
- 2 g garlic powder
- 2 g onion powder
- 2 g paprika
Beef Patties
- 500 g ground beef, 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, ground
Assembly & Toppings
- 10 brioche slider buns, sliced
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 white onion, finely minced
- 100 g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 5 american cheese, slices, cut into quarters
- 3 dill pickles, sliced rounds
- 5 g sesame seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 331 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 583 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 15 mg
- Potassium
- 212 mg
- Calcium
- 82 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 189 mg
- Zinc
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 50 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate to let flavors meld while preparing the rest.
Divide the ground beef into 10 equal portions (approx 50g each). Gently roll them into balls, then flatten them into thin patties slightly wider than the buns (to account for shrinkage). Season generously with salt and pepper.
Brush the cut sides of the brioche buns with melted butter. Toast them in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
Increase skillet heat to medium-high. Add the beef patties (in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side until a dark crust forms. Flip patties.
Immediately place a folded quarter-slice of American cheese on each patty. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and beef reaches an internal temperature of at least 71°C/160°F.
To assemble, spread special sauce on the bottom buns. Layer with minced onions and shredded lettuce. Place the cheesy patty on top, followed by pickle slices.
Spread a little more sauce on the underside of the top buns. Close the sliders. Optional: brush the tops with a little butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds for the authentic look. Serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Mincing the onion very finely is crucial to mimicking the original fast-food texture.
- Using 80/20 ground beef is essential; leaner blends will dry out in these small patties.
- If you want the true 'double-decker' experience, you can slice a third of the bottom off a second bun to create a middle layer, but this makes them difficult to eat as sliders.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Best stored disassembled. If assembled, buns will become soggy.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze cooked patties and buns separately. Sauce does not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat patties in a skillet; toast fresh buns separately before re-assembling.
Troubleshooting
Patties shrank to meatballs
Cause: High fat content causes shrinkage, and patties were not formed wide enough
Fix: Press down firmly with a spatula immediately after placing in the pan (smash technique)
Prevention: Form patties 20% wider than the buns and use a thumb indentation in the center
Sliders are soggy
Cause: Too much sauce or lettuce was wet
Fix: Serve immediately; cannot be fixed once soggy
Prevention: Toast buns thoroughly to create a barrier; ensure lettuce is patted dry after washing
Cultural Context
A gourmet homage to the iconic American fast-food burger introduced in 1967, adapting the specific flavor combination of 'two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun' into a slider format.
