Smoked Cheeseburger Sliders Recipe with Caramelized Onions

4.75 from 4 votes

Smoked Cheeseburger Sliders Recipe with Caramelized Onions

An easy way to make sliders by prepping a large single patty and then slowly smoking, and cutting into 12 individual sliders. Topped with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, and stone ground mustard.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Course: Appetizer, Entree

Cuisine: American, burgers, Sliders

Keyword: cheeseburger slider recipe, cheeseburger sliders, easy sliders recipe

Servings: sliders

Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge

Cost: $18.00

Equipment

Instant Read Thermometer

Ingredients

2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (We don't recommend lean beef)
2 tablespoons SPG Rub
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
1 large red onion, diced For caramelized onions.
1 12-pack Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
¼ cup stone ground mustard
6 slices sharp cheddar cheese
12 dill pickle slices
2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning

Instructions

Prep: Set you smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit using fruit wood or oak. In a large bowl combine the ground beef and the beef seasoning. Mix lightly. Then on a sheet pan with parchment paper start forming the burger patty into a large rectangle. You want the rectangle to be slightly larger than the dimensions of the Hawaiian sweet rolls pack because the beef will shrink slightly as it smokes (about 1 inch wider by length and width). To be specific, we rolled out the beef rectangle to 10″ by 7″ wide.
Smoke: After the patty has been formed, place onto the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the ground beef is between 158 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit using a good instant read thermometer. Remove the beef, then get the heat in the grill up to 350 – 400 degrees F.
Caramelize the Onions: Do this while the patty is smoking. In a large cast iron pan add oil and butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and slowly stir every few minutes. Continue for 20 minutes or until they are a golden brown color.
Assemble Sliders: Now that the patty is smoked and the onions are caramelized, it’s time to finish the cheeseburger sliders on the grill. Cut the rolls in half down the center. Start by layering on the ground mustard. Next add the smoked hamburger patty. Cover with the cheese slices and then the caramelized onions. Add one pickle per slider and then the tops of the rolls. Finally apply the melted butter to the top of the rolls and sprinkle the everything seasoning.
Grill: Place the cheeseburger sliders back into the grill (as one whole piece) and finish for 5-10 minutes. The rolls will turn a golden color and the cheese will melt. Remove and place onto a cutting board. Slice into individual sliders using a knife and then they are ready to serve.

Notes

Finishing the Sliders in the Oven: You can also finish the sliders in your oven if it isn't easy to increase the temperature of your smoker.

Variations: You can easily replicate this recipe with ground turkey (or chicken) if you prefer that over ground beef. If you make this with ground turkey be sure to add an egg as a binder because of how lean it is. If you don’t it will not hold together as easily as beef.

You can also add or swap out your favorite cheeseburger ingredients like ketchup, mayo, pickled peppers, or even a different cheese.

Grilling – When testing this recipe we also grilled the patty over indirect heat. Smoking adds more flavor, but you can speed up the entire process by grilling. Target 400 degrees F and the patty should be done in 20 minutes. Then follow the recipe to make the sliders and finish in the grill.

Nutrition