Growing up in our hometown, there was a White Castle. If anyone is unfamiliar with what White Castle is, it’s a fast food establishment that is known for their slider burgers. Now I know people must like this place, although no one will openly admit it, but folks definitely go there because it has been in business probably longer than I have been alive. Actually I just looked it up and I found a photo from 1931, that White Castle existed in my hometown. Wow you learn something new everyday! I don’t think I ever stepped foot inside of one personally, but my dad and brother would get it all the time! Even my husband would sneak over there at lunch time with his friends,hoping no one would see them. Sorry guys, I just outed you! With that being said, if you don’t want to wear a paper bag over your head while going through the drive-thru to get your White Castle crave case, this recipe will be perfect for you! I feel it is actually pretty spot on.
For Super Bowl this past year, I wanted to make sliders. But have you ever gone on Pinterest or google, searching for a recipe and a handful pop up and they are all completely different, causing you to become overwhelmed and you don’t know which way to turn. Well, this is the recipe to use, if you want some great sliders. They are small enough for kids to enjoy and for adults to devour, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or party appetizer.
For this recipe you will need to have 2 sheet pans with raised lips around the sides to prevent spillage. In my house we use 12×17″ pans. I think if I had the space, I would buy a stockpile of these pans, we use them for everything! You want to line the pans with some non-stick aluminum foil. If you want a super easier clean up, line the pan first with heavy duty aluminum foil then place the non-stick kind on top. You will be using the first pan right away, the second pan you can just place aside, we will be using that much later on.
In a large size bowl, you want to mix the ground beef, low-sodium beef broth, salt and pepper. In this case I used 93% lean, you can use 80% but it creates more fat juices in the pan when it cooks, so I just used the less fat, but the choice is yours, the fat will get drained off anyway.
Just lightly mix the beef with clean hands, until the broth is combined and the mixture is no longer watery. Using the first lined sheet pan, working with your hands, you want to spread the beef mix in a thin layer. After with a butter knife cut the beef into 16 rectangles, be careful not to cut through the foil, you basically want to create perforations. Next you can use your fingers to punch 5 little holes in each slider. After you prepped the beef, you want to completely wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. I try to do this step in the morning. We use the refrigerator because we can’t fit it in our side by side freezer. You could even do this step the night before, if you don’t have time in the morning.
When you are almost ready to eat, preheat your over to 425℉ with the rack set in the middle and you can start to prep the rest of the ingredients. First take dried minced onion and place in a bowl and cover with more beef broth. I have tried fresh chopped onion, but you get a really intense flavor from dried. Let the dried onions sit in the broth for 20 to 30 minutes, so they can rehydrate. While the onions are sitting, you can slice the slider rolls, I just bought traditional dinner rolls that come 12 in a pack. I know what you are thinking, 12 rolls, 16 patties. Four of your sliders will be double stacks, for the hungry man or woman in the house! After you slice the rolls, you can divide the cheese. I am all for american cheese on burgers, you can get Kraft big slice and divide each piece into quarters. Skip the individual wrapped single slices! Next up are pickle chips. I have become a huge fan on Heinz hamburg dill chips. They have that classic pickle taste, perfect for burgers!
Once the onions have rehydrated, you can add that mixture to the second lined sheet pan. Try to create a thin even layer of it.
Removed the slider patties from the fridge and unwrap, then place in your preheated oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the patties start to lose that pink coloring. Once that happens it will now be easier to transfer the beef to the second sheet pan, where it will finish steam cooking on top of the onion-broth mix.
Remove the beef from the oven, and with the help of a spatula, separate the patties into individual pieces, then transfer one at a time to the onion-broth pan. If you find the patties have a little too much grease on them from the fat, you can drain them off before placing them on the onion-broth pan. Now place the patties back into the oven to cook through, about another 5 minutes. Remove the pan again from the oven, now you can scoop some of the onions and place on top of the patties then add the cheese slices, double stack 4 patties and add the tops of the slider buns. Put back in the over until the cheese is melted.
After the cheese is melted you can finish assembling the sliders. On the bottom bun, top with some heinz ketchup, 1 or 2 pickle slices, more of the onions if desired. Then add the cheese patties and top bun. Feel free to serve with some crinkle fries. Yummy in my tummy!!! You can also serve with a bottle of antacid, if you are into that kind of thing.
Castle Sliders
yields: 8 single sliders and 4 double sliders
1.5 pounds ground beef, 93% lean
1 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup dried minced onions
12 classic dinner rolls, sliced in half, such as Sarah Lee
4 big slices American Cheese, quartered, such as Kraft
Sliced Pickles, such as Heinz Hamburger Dill Chips
Ketchup, such as Heinz
Equipment: (2) 12×17″ lipped sheet pans, non-stick foil (Reynold’s brand), plastic wrap (Glad brand)
Line the two sheet pans with non-stick foil. For easier clean up line the pans first with heavy duty aluminum foil then the non-stick foil. Set one pan aside.
In a large bowl with clean hands combine the ground beef, 1/2 cup beef broth, salt and pepper until broth is absorbed and the beef is no longer watery. Add mixture to the first lined sheet pan and spread the mixture out until it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Using a dull knife divide the beef into 16 patties, be careful not to cut into the foil. Using your fingers, polk five holes into each patty. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to eat, preheat the oven to 425℉ with the rack set in the center of the oven. Place the dried minced onions in a small bowl and cover with 3/4 cup beef broth. Let the onions sit in the broth for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour onion-broth mix into the second lined sheet pan, and spread out in a thin layer.
Remove patties from the refrigerator, discard plastic wrap. Place in the over for 5 to 8 minutes, until the patties shrink up a bit and lose their pink color. Remove from the oven, using a spatula separate the patties, drain off any excess fat and transfer to the onion-broth mix pan.
Place pan back in the oven to allow the patties to steam cook on top of the onion-broth mixture for another 5 minutes or until patties are cooked through. Remove pan from the oven, top each patty with the onions and cheese, double stack 4 of the sliders. Top each patty with a slider bun top. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To assemble, top each bottom bun with ketchup and 1-2 pickle slices. You can add some of the onion mix if desired. Top the bottom buns with the cheese beef patties and bun tops. Serve with crinkle fries. Enjoy!!
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