Triple Smoked Porter Sliders on a Pretzel Bun with Smoked Gouda and Smoky Tomato Jam
Why I Love This Recipe
From the Sauce du Jour Kitchen
For the Beer Cooking Class -112
The reason I name this a "Triple Smoked" slider is because I used a Smoked Porter beer in the burger, made a Smoked Tomato Jam and topped it with Smoked Gouda.
This Tomato Jam gets it's smoky goodness from the smoked porter beer and some smoky chipotles. It is a FABULOUS addition to a burger or any sandwich, for that matter. A batch will keep for several days, even weeks in the refrigerator.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 cup beer – for the cook
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (to make 6 – approx. 3 oz. slider patties)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup Smoked Porter (or other smoked beer, or other Porter)
1 Tablespoon coarse ground German mustard (or mustard of your choice)
1 generous teaspoon of Salt
Half dozen grinds of black pepper
Smoked Gouda cheese, cut into 6 small rectangles, about 1/2" X 1/4"
6 Pretzel or slider buns, buttered
Smoked Gouda cheese, cut into 6 slices
For the Smoky Tomato Jam
Makes almost 2 cups
1 cup beer – for the cook
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark beer (Smoked Porter, Black Porter, Brown Ale)
1 - 28oz can of diced tomatoes (or about 1 pound or 2 1/2 cups if using fresh)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Chipotle peppers in Adobo (or more to taste, if you want more bite)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Combine ground beef (use 80/20), garlic, beer, mustard, salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 15-20 minutes, for flavors to infuse.
Form into 6 patties and push one rectangle of smoked Gouda into the center of each, sealing with the beef so that the cheese is completely enclosed.
Butter the buns. Heat the grill and put the sliders and buns on the grill at the same time. Pull the buns off as they toast and set aside.
Grill the sliders, flipping half way through. When you flip them, top each with a slice of Smoked Gouda cheese and a bun top so that cheese melts while the other side is cooking.
To serve: Put a generous serving of the Smoky Tomato Jam on the bottom of each bun, top with a slider, and serve with mustard on the side. (Add lettuce and pickle if you like)
For the Smoky Tomato Jam
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one more minute.
Deglaze the pan with the beer and apple cider vinegar. Reduce just slightly, about a minute or two.
Stir in the tomatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, chipotle pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil and let boil for about a minute then reduce to a simmer. Set a lid over about 3/4 of the pan so that the steam can escape. Stir occasionally (reduce heat if necessary so that tomato jam doesn’t stick to the pan).
Simmer about 40 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and that when you drag a spoon through the jam it holds the line.
Discard cinnamon stick. Let cool completely, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with burgers or grilled cheese sandwich. Can be made ahead, stores well in the refrigerator for several days.
