This week, the challenge lies in both the volume of food and the method by which it's prepared - 30 sliders whipped up at once, onion-steamed the way White Castle does it. Can I wolf down the entire hyper-stoned order placed by our titular heroes? Of course not, I'm no Matt Stonie, but I've got some hungry friends.

 

Ingredients

For the White Castle Classic (makes 6 sliders)

  • 6 ounces ground beef 

  • 6 potato slider buns

  • 2 white onions, diced

  • Vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt

  • 6 slices American cheese, trimmed to size of slider

  • 6 dill pickle chips (or more to taste)

For the Babish Version

  • 6 ounces each chuck and short rib

  • 2 white onions, diced

  • Potato slider buns

  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

White Castle Classic Version

  1. Put ground beef in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to reach a more paste-like consistency, which will make tighter patties.

  2. Coax the ground beef into a rectangle shape. Cover with parchment paper. Roll the beef out into a thin rectangle. Score the rectangle into 6 individual patties. Use your slider buns as a template, but make each patty slightly larger than the bun to account for shrinkage.

  3. Once all 6 patties are scored, use a metal straw to punch out 5 holes from each patty. Place the tray of meat into the freezer to firm up.

  4. Dice 2 onions. Coat the bottom of your cast iron skillet with vegetable oil. Add your onions in an even letter on the bottom of the skillet. Pour in a little water over top to help the onions steam. Stir and sweat the onions for 2-3 minutes in the pan.

  5. Once the beef patties are frozen, break them apart into individual patties.

  6. Lay the 6 beef patties on top of the onions, leaving as little room between burgers as possible. Top each burger with a little bit of kosher salt.

  7. Add the bottom bun directly onto the top of each patty (yes, before you’ve flipped it). Then place the top bun on top of the bottom bun. This will help steam the buns. 

  8. Remove the top buns and set aside. Invert the 6 burgers onto a plate or wire-rimmed baking sheet. Top each beef patty with a slice of american cheese, then a single dill pickle chip, then the top bun. Enjoy!

Babish Version

  1. Cut the chuck and short rib into 1-inch cubes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the meat and your food processor blade for 15 minutes.

  2. Add the beef into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until it reaches a pebbly texture. 

  3. Form the ground beef into 1-inch meatballs.

  4. Saute diced onions until they’ve softened and started to brown.

  5. Toast slider buns on a skillet.

  6. Sprinkle cheddar cheese onto skillet to make cheese crisps.

  7. Add beef balls to the skillet and season with salt and pepper.

  8. Using a large spatula and dowel, smash the burgers down and then smear away with the spatula.

  9. Top a dollop of sauteed onions on top of each cheese crisp. Place a patty on top of each onion-cheese stack.

  10. Stack 2 burgers onto each slider roll. Enjoy!