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Old-School Diner Sliders

Classic griddle sliders smashed into caramelized onions and served on buttered, toasted Hawaiian rolls.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground chuck certified Angus beef
  • 2 large onions medium diced (about 1/2 inch)
  • 12 Hawaiian rolls
  • 4 tablespoons butter softened
  • 6 slices American cheese halved
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce shredded
  • Dill pickles sliced
  • Mayonnaise or your favorite spread
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Divide the ground chuck into 2-ounce loose-formed balls, about 12 total, weighing them on a kitchen scale for consistency. Do not pack them tight.
  2. Cook the diced onions on the griddle over medium heat in an uncrowded layer until translucent and golden.
  3. Slice the sheet of Hawaiian rolls in half while still connected, butter the cut sides and toast on the griddle until golden.
  4. Place each beef ball onto a bed of the cooked onions on the griddle and smash it flat.
  5. Season, cook until well seared, then flip and top each patty with a half slice of cheese.
  6. Cover the patties briefly to steam and melt the cheese.
  7. Build the sliders on the toasted rolls with the spread, pickles and shredded lettuce, then cut apart and serve.

Notes

80/20 ground chuck is the sweet spot - leaner dries out, fattier goes greasy, and the shoulder cut has the flavor. The marbling renders on the griddle, bastes the onions and keeps the patties juicy. Two ounces is standard slider size (White Castle originals were 1.3 ounces) and a 1.5-pound pack gives you about 12. Do not overwork the meat or it goes dense and tough. Medium-dice the onions at about half an inch - too small burns, too large stays raw. Do not overcrowd the pan or the onions steam and go soggy instead of caramelizing. Iceberg's high water content keeps it crisp under the heat and moisture from the patty. Cut the rolls while still connected to save time and keep them aligned, and butter the cut sides to create a moisture barrier.