Pineapple Teriyaki Sliders

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It's Labor Day Weekend! I am an unashamed lover of all things pumpkin spice, but this is the weekend to celebrate one last round of summer flavor. These pineapple teriyaki sliders leave me daydreaming about Hawaii and are conveniently baked in the oven -- which is so much easier than babying them on the grill should you choose to make these for a weeknight dinner.

How to make pineapple teriyaki sliders

The first thing you'll do is form your patties. Refrigerated or recently thawed meat is cold, so I like to mix my meat and other ingredients with a meat mixer before forming the patties. Baste the patties on both sides with teriyaki sauce then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven. While the sliders are baking, toast your rolls and chop the pineapple. You can use a fancy pineapple cutting tool or follow any method you like. I tend to go Pioneer Woman style. Once the patties are cooked through, top with shredded cheese and put back in the oven on broil for just about one minute. Keep a close eye and make sure to pull them out as soon as the cheese has melted.

Tips and Tricks

Ground Beef

Burgers need fat to help them hold together. I recommend using an 80/20 ground beef. 93/7 is going to be leaner, but may not hold together as well. 70/30 is going to leak a lot of fat onto the pan.

Making hamburger patties

Whether you are making burgers or sliders, you run the risk of the meat "balling" up and seeming more like a meatball than a patty. This is the case whether you fry, grill, or bake your burgers. One way to prevent the "balling" is to indent the center of the patties. Make sure the edges are thicker and the center is thinner. They will still swell toward the center while cooking, but will end up flatter.

Can I grill or pan fry these?

Yes! You could also air fry them. I like baking my pineapple teriyaki sliders in the oven because it allows me to cook all the patties at once and I don't really have to keep an eye on them. Parchment paper works best to keep them from sticking to the pan, but foil could also work. This is a perfect weeknight cooking method. For a Labor Day Celebration, by all means, get out the grill! With any alternative cooking method, make sure to baste the patties with teriyaki sauce before and after cooking.

Teriyaki sauce

I like the Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze. There are lots of other brands and recipes out there, so don't be afraid to experiment and find out which sauce you and your family like the best.

Pineapple

Can you use canned pineapple? Absolutely. The flavor is going to be sweeter and the texture softer. Fresh pineapple is going to taste the best, but canned pineapple will serve.

Hawaiian rolls

Why use Hawaiian rolls? Hawaiian rolls are sweeter than your usual dinner roll. They are going to complement the other flavors in this dish the best. But, if you have another kind of roll you prefer then don't let me stop you!

Watch the oven!

Broiling is dangerous for food. Watch those patties like a hawk once you've added the cheese. If you are feeling distracted at all, you may want to skip the broiling and go for less-than-melted cheese. It's a much better alternative than burnt burgers. I say this to all the other distracted toddler parents out there because chaos is our way of life.

The Recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
8 quarter pineapple slices
8 Hawaiian dinner rolls

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and onion.
3. Form 8 patties, indented in the middle.
4. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Top with shredded cheese and broil for 1 minute.
6. Place patties on toasted rolls with a slice of pineapple.