Whiskey BBQ Sliders

What's not to love about a burger, in miniature form no less, smothered in onions, jalapenos and BBQ sauce laced with booze?  These are some simple and delicious burgers.  I've actually made them twice in the last few weeks, they are that good (and it had nothing to do with the fact that I forgot to take pictures after the first time around).  I love that they are small, so you really get a nice sauce to burger ratio--I'm not sure they would be the same as a large burger.  There is a spicy heat to the sauce from the jalapenos, but the onions provide some sweetness and the whiskey is a nice background of smoky kick that indicates there is something special about these tiny sandwiches.  I love "stuff" on my burgers, but I ate these guys straight up, no frills.  That awesome.

My friend Rachel is pregnant, so when she sent me this Pioneer Woman recipe with only a message of "WANT," I knew I had to make them the next time she came over.  (Stop judging--the alcohol cooks out and your lefts with the flavor, not a boozy high.)  I love Ree and think she makes amazing recipes that I drool over on her blog or when I catch her show on Food Network, but I've only ever attempted one of her recipes (Apple Fritters) because frankly, I use all my butter for cookies and don't generally have room in my arteries for some of her other delicious but not-so-good-for-you dishes.  I may need to change my thinking because these sliders were so good and really simple to make. If I use a bigger skillet, it would probably take even less time, but I'm ok with my method. A short list of ingredients, likely pantry staples--if like me you count your liquor cabinet as part of your pantry,--makes this dish a breeze.  I opted to not butter up the buns as I wasn't sure how the extra butter would play with the sauce.  Also, I used some of the liquid from the pickled jalapenos which I think gave them an additional kick of yummy flavor.  I served these up with sweet potato fries for dinner and included them on my New Year's Eve buffet with lots of other treats.  These are perfect for game night, tailgating, or just something a bit different. 

Whiskey BBQ Sliders

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
salt and pepper, to taste
4 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup whiskey
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos, including juice to taste

In a large bowl, work salt and pepper into meat and form meat into roughly 12 small patties (Note: I got about 14 patties).

Melt butter in a medium-large skillet.  Add patties, in batches to melted butter and cook about 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat.  Remove to a dish until all patties are cooked.

Drain off all but about 2 Tablespoons of the pan drippings and return to medium heat.  Add onions and cook for a few minutes until all caramelized, brown and yummy. 

Add the whiskey and cook down about 2-3 minutes, stirring and scraping up the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in barbeque sauce and jalapenos.  Reduce heat to low and return cooked patties to sauce, turning to coat.  Allow to simmer and bubble up before serving on slider buns, spooning extra sauce over top (including onions and jalapenos).

Makes 12 sliders.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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