Smoky Bourbon Onion Sliders

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These Smoky Bourbon Onion Sliders feature savory smoky burger patties, sweet bourbon caramelized onions, a creamy blend of Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses, and fresh microgreens – rivaling any and all restaurant equivalents!  They make for a super fun appetizer when entertaining, but could also be enjoyed a couple at a time for personal dinners throughout the week with sides such as your favorite french fries.

This recipe was 100% developed by my husband, who is currently in a years-long back-and-forth “burger battle” with his dad to inspire new imaginative meals!  As an official taste tester, I’m not complaining 😉  These sliders were so much fun that I had to share them!

The flavors were originally inspired by his love of French Onion Soup.  Now, voilà: Some of the best components, such as caramelized onions and Gruyère, can be enjoyed in burger form as well!

Apart from the patty marinade time and the onion caramelization, which does require a bit of patience, the actual cooking and assembly for these sliders is easy – Once everything is prepared, simply fry the patties in a pan, finish them off in the oven while the cheeses melt, then top them with the onions and microgreens!

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RECIPE NOTES:

Patty Meat: We used ground bison for these patties because we really enjoy the flavor and the way that it cooks!  If you prefer to sub in ground beef, use what you like.  We have not tested using a plant-based alternative, but I imagine the marinade and toppings would taste delicious with this option as well, as long as the cooking time was adjusted as needed.

Marinating The Patties: While the marinade will be tasty after 1 hour, we highly recommend marinating for a full 24 hours if possible!  The flavor upgrade is very worth it.  As an added bonus, breaking up the prep time by taking care of this step the day before helps everything move faster when you’re ready to cook!

Caramelizing The Onions: If you’ve caramelized onions before, you know that there are no shortcuts.  I promise the time investment is so worth it for their incredible taste!

Cooking The Patties: This recipe uses a stovetop method for the patties, finishing the last of the cooking in the oven while the cheeses melt over them.  This prevents the patties from overcooking while the cheese melts!  If using a grill, the cooking times and cheese-melting method may vary.

Serving All Together Vs Over Several Days: If serving all the siders at once, follow the recipe exactly!  If you’re choosing to spread out your enjoyment of them throughout the week, prepare the marinated meat and caramelized onions the exact same way, then simply form and cook the desired amount of patties freshly each day.  All of the components store very well in the refrigerator, and can be used as needed.  The caramelized onions reheat very well, so don’t worry about any loss of quality!

Kitchen Equipment:

• Bowls (1 Small + 1 Medium)

• 1 Large Pan

• A Baking Sheet

• Aluminum Foil

• Frying Pan Of Choice, for the patties

Servings: 8 Sliders

Ingredients: 

MARINATED PATTIES 

• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke, hickory preferred
• 2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
• 1 lb Ground Bison, or ground beef
• Generous Amount Of Black Pepper
• Salt, to taste

BOURBON CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Yellow Onions, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/4 Cup Bourbon

CHEESES 

• 8 Thick Slices Gruyère Cheese, approx. 0.4 lb
• Grated Parmesan Cheese, for 8 generous sprinkles

MICROGREENS

• Microgreens Of Choice, we used this arugula mustard blend!

BUNS

• 8 Slider-Sized Brioche Buns

Directions:

CREATE THE MARINATED BURGER PATTIES

Combine the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl

Place the ground bison in a medium bowl and mix in the marinade until fully integrated with the meat

Season generously with black pepper and add salt to taste

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) to marinate

CREATE THE BOURBON CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat

Once the butter has fully melted, add the sliced onions and cook until they become soft and transparent, stirring often

Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue to cook and stir the onions occasionally until they begin to brown

Add the sugar and kosher salt and combine, then continue cooking until the onions are evenly browned (Onions’ surface should be brown but not charred)

Add the bourbon and deglaze the pan, cooking for 3 more minutes (or until the alcohol has fully cooked off)

Remove from heat

PREP FOR PATTIES

Preheat the oven to 425°

Line a baking sheet with foil

Cut 8 thick slices of Gruyère, and set aside

Remove the marinated meat from the fridge, and form it into 8 evenly sized patties

COOK & COMBINE

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the patties for 1.5 minutes

Flip, and cook them for 1 more minute

The surface should be nicely browned but the interior should not be fully cooked

Place the patties onto the prepared baking sheet and add a slice of Gruyère to each

Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan and place in the oven until cheese is melted, around 3 minutes

While the patties are in the oven, toast the buns until browned

Once the cheese is melted on the patties, remove them from the oven and place them on the buns

Spoon a thick layer of caramelized onions on top and finish with a layer of microgreens

Serve and enjoy!