Taste-of-the-Derby Beef Sliders with Spicy Lime Kentucky Bourbon Mayo and Roasted Ginger Sweet Corn-Cucumber Relish

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade 1 stakes race for thoroughbred horses and held annually in Louisville, Kentucky.The derby is known in the United States as -The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports, and my Taste-of-the-Derby Beef Sliders will be known as – The Most Exciting Three Hours At The BBB. Immerse yourself in these Kentucky Derby inspired beef sliders that are packed with sweet, spicy, smoky, saucy, and exotic flavors- a combination that will create a Kentucky Derby Fiesta in your mouth!

Ingredients:

Spicy Lime Kentucky Bourbon Mayo:
3/4 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco Sweet and Spicy Pepper Sauce
1 teaspoon Kentucky Bourbon Hot Sauce (prefer Jim Beam)
Patties:
2 pounds ground beef chuck
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Kentucky Bourbon Hot Sauce
1 tablespoon Tabasco Sweet and Spicy Pepper Sauce
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Ground Black Pepper Blend (prefer McCormick)
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
Roasted Ginger Sweet Corn-Cucumber Relish:
3 ears yellow corn, shucked
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cane syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kentucky Bourbon Hot Sauce (prefer Jim Beam)
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted ground cumin (prefer McCormick brand)
1/2 teaspoon hot madras curry powder (prefer McCormick brand)
1/2 teaspoon roasted ground ginger (prefer McCormick brand)
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup English seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Other ingredients:
2 tablespoons pure vegetable oil
1/3 cup Spicy Bourbon Barbecue sauce (prefer Jim Beam)
12 min burger buns or small soft dinner rolls
1 (5 oz.) bag mixed baby salad greens ( prefer Dole)

Instructions:

To make the mayo, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Cover and refrigerate until assembling the burgers.
To make patties, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and, using your hands, shape into patties about 3 1/2-inches wide. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.
To make the relish: Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat and rub the shucked corn with olive oil. Put on the grill and cook, turning often, until the corn is slightly charred and still crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat to a cutting board and cool. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, water, cane syrup, sugar, mustard, hot sauce, celery salt, cumin, hot madras curry powder, and roasted ground ginger in a medium fire-proof saucepan and set the pan on the grill over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer and dissolve sugar. Cut the kernels of the corn. Combine corn, red bell pepper, cucumber, shallots, and celery. Pour the vinegar mixture over the diced vegetables, and season with the kosher salt. Set aside to pickle.
Heat a gas grill to medium-high. When the grill is ready, brush the grill rack with the vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, baste the patties equally with the spicy bourbon barbecue sauce and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.
To assemble the sliders, spread the cut sides of the buns with equal portions of the mayo. On each bun bottom, top with equal amounts of baby salad greens, beef patty, and equal portions of the relish. Add the bun tops and serve. Makes 12 sliders to serve 6 , prep time: 1 hour, grilling time: 20 minutes