Sliders: Our Definitive Guide

WHAT IS A SLIDER?

A Slider is a miniature Pattie, usually made from ground beef in the same style as hamburgers, however many versions are available at Farmison & Co. We've been busy developing & expanding our range to include varied blended muscles, including the Fillet Blend Slider, The Short Rib Blend Slider & The Bone Marrow Slider alongside newcomers such as The Gourmet Chicken & Veal Slider Spiced with Malabar Pepper & The Artisan Pork Slider.

They derive from the USA; the term simply means a small sandwich, served hot in a bun around 5cm in diameter with a variety of toppings, including cheese & relish.

Sliders are perfect for drinks parties, family gatherings or a great way to try different flavour combinations at the same time. 3 sliders per serving is generally recognised as the norm, though any amount can be consumed. Many restaurants & fast food outlets serve sliders whether it is as a snack to partner up with a chilled beer, or as a collection to enjoy as the main event.

HOW TO PREPARE AND COOK SLIDERS

Purist say they should only be served cooked over finely chopped onions & topped with pickles though today we serve them with many different garnishes.

There is so many options to fill your slider bun with the list are endless, which makes for such great fun!

FRY/GRILL/GRIDDLE/BBQ

1. Remove your sliders out of the packaging & pat dry any excess moisture
2. Preheat your griddle or heavy based frying pan until it sizzles when you add a drop of oil
3. Lightly oil the patties with a little duck fat, light olive oil or clarified butter
4. Don't overcrowd the cooking base, a few sliders at a time
5. This is now the time to season the beef with a little natural sea salt or a great alternative is to season with wood smoked sea salt, just a little on each side whilst cooking, this is done at the last minute to maximize the soft mouth feel of the slider
6. Cook over high heat turning the sliders on both sides to create a rich, charred crust, reducing heat to medium to finish cooking
7. Cook for 2 minutes each side, until firm to touch & thoroughly cooked, the core temperature of the slider should be 68-70°C
8. For the final minute of cooking add a knob of unsalted butter to the pan, when the butter starts to bubble, baste the sliders for a minute or so, simply spoon the melted butter over them which will enhance both flavour & juiciness
9. Leave to rest in a warm place for a minute or so before serving

MY FAVOURITE GARNISHES!

Start by frying the sliders in a smoking hot pan with some finely chopped onions, filling the bun as they cook & simply topping with sliced gherkin & a dollop of your favourite ketchup, my choice is Wilkins & Co Tomato ketchup.

Other toppings are mature cheese such as aged cheddar, blue cheese or even really well aged Gouda.

Relish can vary, try caramelised red onion jam, Korean style Kimchi with hot chili sauce or a mustard slaw.

Crispy Pancetta, maple cured bacon, BBQ pulled brisket & pulled pork are all popular additions, mirroring the bigger versions as a burger.

CHEF'S TIPS

Be fully prepared prior to any cooking of the meat, as they only take a few minutes.

Have all your garnishes to hand, so building the sliders is as simple as possible whilst entertaining.

Toasting the buns will not only keep the sliders hot for longer, it will help them from going soggy.

Chopping the garnishes into smaller pieces will create a more rounded explosion of flavours as the whole slider may be consumed in just two bites.

Same goes for cheese, grating before topping will speed up the melting process, alternatively make a rich cheese sauce & keep warm ready to simply spoon over if your entertaining lots of guests.