1 pound lean ground beef, 80% lean, 20% fat

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 slices American cheese, each cut into four even pieces

8 slider buns, preferably brioche – See kitchen note

Method:

1.   Preheat an outside grill or indoor grill pan over medium – high heat.

To Prepare the Sliders:

2.   In a medium size bowl, combine ground beef, cumin, onion powder, and salt until evenly combined being careful to not over-mix.

3.   On a parchment lined baking sheet, use your hands or a medium cookie scoop to evenly divide beef mixture into 8 even portions.

4.   Gently coat each patty – both sides – with olive oil and place on preheated grill or grill pan being careful to not overcrowd the pan. Cook the first side until colored and grill marks appear, approximately 3 – 4 minutes. Flip, place 1 piece of cheese on top and cook until desired doneness (125ºF for rare, 160ºF for well-done), approximately 3 – 5 minutes for medium – rare.

5.   Remove patties from grill, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

6.   Meanwhile, lightly oil the inside of the buns and place on the coolest part of the grill. Allow to heat until grill marks appear and heated through. Note: keep an eye on the buns as they can quickly burn.

7.   Serve sliders between toasted buns with desired condiments.

Kitchen Note: Brioche slider buns can be hard to find but some bakeries will specially make them for you with advanced notice. I have even seen them at Whole Foods.