Burger Luck Winning Slider!

Kickin’ Espresso Sliders

By Ted Slee

Serves 4

Prep Time: up to 6 hours (letting meat marinade)

Cook Time: 30-45 mins

Ingredients:

Burger

1 1/3lb 80/20 ground beef

½ tbsp espresso fine ground

½ tbsp garlic powder

½ tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tbsp black pepper

½ tbsp sea salt

1 pinch mambosa (cayenne pepper) or to taste

3 tbsp bacon grease

Caramelized Onions

3 oz Chipotle peppers in adobo

1 tbsp cilantro (fresh chopped)

1 lime (zest and juice)

2 tbsp white tequila

½ Vidalia onion (sliced thin)

½ stick butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

Finish/Garnish

½ lb extra sharp cheddar (sliced)

8 dinner rolls (French bread style) sliced open

3 tbsp bacon grease

Tools:

Cast Iron Skillet

Non Stick Skillet

Tongs

Knife

Cutting Board

Prep:

Beef

Mix the espresso, garlic powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, sea salt and mambosa in a bowl.  Break the ground beef up gently using a fork or your hands in to small pieces in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet and coat evenly with espresso spice mixture.  Mix beef thoroughly and portion the ground beef into 8 patties a ½” thick.   Set aside until onions are cooked. 

Cook:

Onions

Melt butter in non-stick skillet.  Add onions and brown sugar and cook on med-hi until onions are translucent and soften.  Add the 2 tbsp tequila and continue cooking 5 more minutes.  While these are cooking mince chipotles and mix with cilantro, lime juice and zest.  Turn off onions mixture and add chipotle paste thoroughly. 

Beef

Melt 2 tbsp bacon grease in cast iron skillet and toast dinner rolls (2-3 mins on high).  Once removed add remaining bacon grease and add burgers and cook 2-3 mins a side.

Assembly

Put a good helping of cheddar on bottom half of bun then add the burger and top with caramelized onions.  Enjoy this tasty, burger!!!!