Ready to get a little messy and have some fun cooking with the kids? Sliders are super easy to make, which is why they are a great grilling go-to when you’re looking to get the kids in on making the meal. Beef, turkey, salmon, pulled pork? A lot of one, a little of everything? Let them pick the meats and pile on the toppings, as high as their little hands can hold.
Below are recipes for four meat fillings. Beef, turkey and salmon are simple to whip together, each recipe making 8 servings and taking under an hour start to finish. Pulled pork will take some time and planning, but will result in a meal with leftovers, plus can be a satisfying experience especially for older kids learning grilling techniques. Get creative, have some fun, then dig into a great family meal!
Recipe Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Dish
Servings: 8 per Recipe
Prep Time: Varies
Grill Time: 2-6 minutes (depending on recipe)
Total Time: Varies
BEEF SLIDERS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 egg
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Mix all ingredients together, making sure not to overwork the mixture.
- Form into 8 small patties, pressing your thumb in the middle to give a small indent.
- Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 160.
- Remove from grill and assemble with your favorite toppings.
TURKEY SLIDERS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Mix all ingredients together, making sure not to overwork the mixture.
- Form into 8 small patties, pressing your thumb in the middle to give a small indent.
- Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165.
- Remove from grill and assemble with your favorite toppings.
SALMON SLIDERS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. salmon filet, skinned and deboned
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Chop salmon into small pieces, then mix in remaining ingredients, making sure not to overwork the mixture.
- Form into 8 small patties, pressing your thumb in the middle to give a small indent.
- Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 145. We suggest using a grill-safe pan for these patties, as they are a bit more delicate than the others.
- Remove from grill and assemble with your favorite toppings.
PULLED PORK SLIDERS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 4-lb. pork shoulder roast
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 2 tsp. pepper
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. chipotle powder
INSTRUCTIONS:
- The day before you smoke, mix together all dry ingredients to make a rub. Place pork shoulder in a roasting pan, then work the rub mixture all over the meat, covering the surface completely. Cover the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- The day you smoke, take the pork shoulder out of the refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour. At the same time, soak 3-4 cups woodchips in water.
- Prepare your grill for indirect grilling on medium. Place your soaked woodchips in a smoking box if you have one, or create a smoking packet using a double-layer of foil around the chips with holes poked to allow the smoke to escape. Place the box or packet on the hot side of the grill and cover.
- When the chips begin to smoke, place your pork shoulder fat-side-up on the cool side of the grill. If your grill is large enough or has an upper rack, also place a pan of water on to help keep the meat moist.
- Reduce heat to low (around 225 degrees), cover grill and start smoking the pork shoulder. Replace wood chips as needed to ensure smoking continues, but only open the grill as needed to do this, so you don’t slow cooking down and temperature remains consistent.
- Ultimately, the pork shoulder will take about 6 hours to fully smoke. When it’s reached 195, remove from the grill, lightly cover with foil and allow to rest for about an hour.
- Pull the pork shoulder using two forks or meat claws, then serve either plain or with additional BBQ sauce if desired.
TOPPINGS & BUNS
Don’t forget the toppings and buns! This is another area to get creative, assembling various types of bread, buns and toppings to let your kiddos try different combinations of flavor.
SOME IDEAS:
- Slider buns
- Toasted bread, with crust removed
- Cheese
- Romaine, arugula or baby spinach
- Fresh or sundried tomato
- Grilled onion rounds
- Cole slaw
- Pickles
- Cucumbers or radishes, thinly sliced
- Grilled bacon
- Avocado slices
- Fresh basil leaves
For a fun and kid-approved dessert, try our recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Skewers!