andrejthechef
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Triple Sliders with Secret Sauce

Six smashed sliders in three cheese styles, each with its own take on a tangy secret sauce.

prep
20 min
cook
10 min
total
30 min
serves
6
level
medium
Three sliders with melted cheese and secret sauce on potato rolls

Sliders started at White Castle in the 1920s, and New York’s Little Owl kicked off their gourmet revival. This version makes six smashed sliders in three styles, with American, pepper jack and Swiss cheese, each matched to its own variation of the secret sauce.

The base sauce is a tangy mix of mayo, ketchup, relish and vinegar. Split it three ways, adjust each to suit its topping, and cook the patties fast, thin and hard-seared.

method

  1. Divide the beef into six equal 2.5 oz balls.

  2. Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, vinegar, sugar and garlic powder into the base sauce, then split it into three variations.

  3. Prepare the toppings for each style.

  4. Smash each ball to 1/3 inch thickness and season with salt and pepper.

  5. Cook the patties for 2 minutes per side.

  6. Add the cheese in the last 30 seconds: American on two, pepper jack on two, Swiss on two.

  7. Assemble each style with its matching sauce and toppings.

chef's tips

  • Smash the balls hard in the first seconds on the heat. That is where the crust comes from.
  • Potato rolls are worth finding. They stay soft and don’t fight the patty.
  • Make the sauce first. It gets better as it sits.