Sliders are a big hit at any party. These juicy, slightly spicy meatballs sandwiched between our buttery Parker House rolls with caramelised onions and creamy garlic sauce are hearty and addictively delicious despite their miniature size.

There are lots of opinions about what makes for the best meatballs, but we don’t like to overcomplicate things. We’re fans of a blend of ground pork and beef featuring a mix of textures and the simple but wonderful marriage of flavours courtesy of garlic, onions, oregano, chili flakes and Parmesan that comes together in the fridge. We do believe bread is key to a good slider, so we like to use our buttery  homemade Parker House rolls. (Feel free to use your favorite store-bought slider rolls if you’re pressed for time.) Mild and melty, provolone is our go-to cheese for topping, but you could also opt for sliced low-moisture mozzarella.

These flame-fired meatballs are delicious enough on their own, but we can’t resist the opportunity to embellish a little; the post-bake addition of caramelised onions and a slathering of lemon-garlic sauce add complementary notes of sweetness and acidity. Be sure to emulsify the sauce by streaming in your neutral oil slowly and deliberately. And if it breaks , don’t worry. Just add a few ice cubes to the food processor and you’ll be back on the right track. 

This recipe features our Parker House rolls and is featured in This New Year's Eve, Forget The Knife and Fork. 

Notes: The meatball mixture, garlic sauce and Parker House rolls can be made up to a day ahead of time. If you do plan to use our roll recipe for these sliders, allow 5 hours to prepare, proof and bake them.

TIME 
1 hour active, 30 minutes passive 

YIELD 
24 sliders

Equipment 

For the caramelised onions
2 yellow onions
26 grams extra-virgin olive oil
3 grams fine sea salt

For the garlic sauce and garnish
70 grams garlic cloves (about 20 cloves)
5 grams kosher salt
30 grams lemon juice
300 grams grapeseed oil
30 grams ice water
Ice cubes, as needed for emulsification
12 slices provolone

Method

For the meatballs
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the oil, mixing by hand until evenly distributed.

Tip:

Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to overnight. When you’re ready to cook, take the mixture out of the fridge and divide into 24 pieces (roughly 40 grams each). Lightly oil your hands to prevent the meat from sticking and roll into balls.
For the caramelised onions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Slice the onions into ½- inch rounds and lay them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Roast until caramelised, about 25 minutes. Stir the onions halfway through to ensure an even cook.
Roughly chop the caramelised onions and set aside.
For the garlic sauce

In a food processor or blender, add the garlic and salt, then puree until finely chopped. With the processor running, add lemon juice and blend until smooth. Begin streaming in grapeseed oil until creamy, alternating with ice water to ensure emulsification. 

Tip:

For the sliders

Preheat your oven to 750°F (400°C). Use an infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature of the baking stone inside. Slice your rolls while it warms up.

When the oven is up to temp, put your cast iron grizzler plate ridged side up in the oven and let it preheat for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the meatballs on the cast iron. Return to the oven and cook until medium rare, about 6 minutes.Remove from the oven and top with caramelised onions and provolone. Return to the oven until fully cooked and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes.
Don’t worry about onions or cheese hanging off the edges of the slider; those extra crispy bits are delicious!Remove from the oven. Lightly toast the rolls in the oven or on the stovetop. Using a spoon or butter knife, spread garlic sauce on each side of the rolls. With a spatula (we like to use a fish spatula), remove the meatballs from the cast iron and place inside the rolls. Serve and enjoy!