Amongst all of the political turmoil going on this week, let’s take a moment to remember our veterans. If there are any of you out there reading this, a big thank you to you and your families for your service and for your bravery.
To commemorate Veterans Day and the end of this tumultuous election season, I’m creating a mini twist on the all-American classic cheeseburger. These were intended to be celebratory bites, but now I think of them as food for serving at those gatherings where we talk about our next steps forward.
The key to making party-perfect burgers (and for all tea sandwiches, really) is to measure out the proportions precisely. Since these buns are about the size of a golf ball, all the other ingredients are scaled to fit that size.
Each ingredient is chosen thoughtfully. The bun? Baked from frozen dough balls cut in half before baking. The beef? One tablespoon exactly. And the cheese? American, of course!
Don’t even bother with a griddle here. Crank your oven up to broil and cook beef patties in a muffin pan so that each is shaped consistently. Clean-up is also a cinch this way, super helpful if you’re making these for a large crowd.
Bite-Sized Cheeseburgers are a hit for themed tea parties or holiday gatherings–everyone flocks to the table when they appear. We often think of burgers as summer fare, but these are going to be a hit at any of your get-togethers, whatever the season or conversation.
Bite-Sized Cheeseburgers
Makes 12 mini burgers.
Ingredients:
4 frozen dinner rolls, in dough form, thawed according to directions on package
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of water
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
3/4 cup ground sirloin
3 slices American cheese, each cut into 4 equal squares
green leaf lettuce, ripped by hand into 2″ square pieces
3-4 Campari tomatoes, sliced thin and blotted with paper towel
Thousand Island dressing
salt and pepper, to taste
Equipment:
large baking sheet
serrated knife
standard muffin tin
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each thawed dough ball in half. Shape each half into a ball, then place on baking sheet at least 1″ apart from one another. Cover and let rest for about 20-30 minutes until slightly puffed. Brush the tops of the dough balls with egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the buns cool, then slice them in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
2. Heat the oven to broil. Place 1 Tbsp balls of ground beef in each cavity of a standard muffin tin. Flatten each ball into the base of the muffin tin. Broil for 5-7 minutes or until preferred doneness. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Smear some dressing on the cut side of each bun, then place a tomato slice and lettuce atop. Top with the beef patty and the top bun. Enjoy!
