New York Buffalo Wing Sliders

New York is the home of one of America’s favorite treats- the buffalo wing.I was born and raised in New York, and I remember the first time I had buffalo wings as a child on one of our frequent family trips to upstate New York. We all instantly fell in love with the spicy wings. I wanted to incorporate all of my favorite flavors of buffalo wings into another classic American food- the hamburger. The spicy patties are nicely balanced by the cool blue cheese spread, with a delightful crunch added by the carrot celery slaw. And like buffalo wings, these burgers are small in size so that you can enjoy one or a few, depending on how hungry you are. The next time you’re craving buffalo wings, reach for these sliders instead- you won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients:

Buffalo Wing Patties:
2 lbs. ground chuck
2/3 cup finely chopped scallions
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 tablespoons Hot Wing Sauce (ex/ Frank’s) plus 4 tablespoons for basting
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Blue Cheese Spread:
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4-oz. crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Carrot Celery Slaw:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
2 stalks celery, julienned
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

3 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing on grill rack
18 slices Jalapeno Jack cheese
18 mini hamburger buns or dinner rolls, split
1 head iceberg lettuce

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire on a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.
To make the buffalo wing patties, place the ground chuck in a large bowl. Add the scallions, garlic, 6 tablespoons hot wing sauce, salt and pepper. Mix to combine all ingredients, being careful not to overwork with meat. Form into 6 equal balls, then divide each ball into thirds, forming 18 balls in total. Form each of the 18 balls into a patty, making a slight indentation in the center so that the patties cook evenly. Cover and set aside. To make the basting sauce, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of hot wing sauce and stir to combine well. Set aside.
To make the blue cheese spread, combine the sour cream and mayonnaise in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the crumbled blue cheese, parsley, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside in refrigerator.
To make the carrot celery slaw, place the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Add the julienned carrots, celery, and scallions. Toss to combine all ingredients well. Set aside in refrigerator.
When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and grill around 6 minutes total for medium. Turn the burgers as they cook and baste both sides with the basting sauce. During the last two minutes of cooking, place the jalapeno jack cheese slices on the patties and close the grill cover to melt them. Remove patties from the grill, place on plate, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. While patties are resting, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
To assemble the sliders, place a piece of lettuce on each bun bottom followed by a cheese-topped patty. Place a mound of carrot celery slaw on each patty. Spread some blue cheese spread on the cut side of each bun top. Add the bun tops and serve.
This recipe makes 6 servings, or 18 sliders.