MINI HAMBURGERS
a dozen mini burgers
Mini burgers are all the rage these days. My version isn’t as tiny as some- but it’s a nice size for parties where a lot of different foods are being served- and the burger is not the main attraction. I like making my own buns from frozen dough, but you can look for smallish buns such as Parker House or Dollar buns if you don’t want to fuss with making them.
hamburger patties about 2 1/2” around and 1” thick- i like using hamburger with a 80/20 % fat content for a juicy burger.*
6 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls
sesame seeds, fine chopped onions, or poppy seeds
1 egg beaten with 2 t water
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
olive oil
for the buns:
Take the frozen buns out of the freezer and let them sit out for 15 minutes or so- until you can cut them in half. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. After you cut the dough -you can re-shape it into little rounds. Place them on the baking sheet- leaving space between each bun and cover with plastic- the plastic shouldn’t touch the dough. You can place something in the middle of the pan that will act like a tent post to prevent this. Let rise in a warm spot for several hours-or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sesame seeds,fine chopped onions or poppy seeds. Bake for about 10-14 minutes until golden and they sound hollow when tapped. You can make the buns several hours in advance.
for the burgers:
Prepare the grill. Sprinkle both sides of the mini burgers with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Brush both sides with olive oil.
When the coals are hot, grill the burgers to desired doneness- about 3 minutes per side for med rare, 4 for medium. The lid should be off. Using a small spoon, place a generous dollop of cheese on top- Put the lid on for less than a minute so the cheese can warm and melt a little- any longer and it will slide off.
