Pretzel Cowboy Sliders (Printable Version)

Juicy beef patties with bacon, cheddar, fried onions, and BBQ sauce on soft pretzel buns.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Slider Patties

01 - 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 fat blend
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Toppings

06 - 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
07 - 8 slices cooked bacon
08 - 1 cup crispy fried onions
09 - ½ cup barbecue sauce
10 - 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

→ Assembly

11 - 8 mini pretzel slider buns
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
13 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

# Directions:

01 - Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high temperature, approximately 375°F.
02 - Combine ground beef, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix gently until just incorporated—avoid overworking the meat.
03 - Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into patties slightly wider than the pretzel buns to account for shrinkage during cooking.
04 - Cook patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. During the final minute, place a cheddar slice on each patty and close the grill lid to melt.
05 - Split pretzel buns and brush cut sides with melted butter. Grill cut-side down until golden and toasted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Layer each toasted bun bottom with a cheesy beef patty. Add bacon, fried onions, jalapeño slices if desired, and drizzle with barbecue sauce. Crown with bun tops and secure with small skewers. Sprinkle with fresh chives and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • That pretzel bun creates this incredible chewy, salty foundation that makes regular slider buns taste like plain cardboard
  • Everything comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all day planning a feast
02 -
  • Make a small indentation in the center of each raw patty with your thumb—this prevents them from puffing up into balls while cooking
  • Let the patties rest for a couple minutes after grilling, or all those juices will end up on your plate instead of in your mouth
03 -
  • Warm the pretzel buns in a low oven for 5 minutes before toasting them—this brings back that just-baked texture even if theyre a day old
  • Double-wrap the assembled sliders in foil and keep them warm in a 200F oven if some guests are running late

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