We’re getting in a Hawaii state of mind today!
And for ohhhh so many good reasons.
Reason #1: We’re going to Kauai!! The hubs and I take off tomorrow morning for our babymoon/make-up honeymoon and we are soooo excited for a little one-on-one time in the sun just relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. It can’t come soon enough!
Reason #2: If you can’t come to Kauai with us, grilling up some of these Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders will be the next best thing. You’ll feel like you’re right there with us as soon as you take your first bite of these juicy, teriyaki-glazed burgers.
Reason #3: I’ve partnered with two amazing companies, True Aussie Beef & Lamb and Big Green Egg, to help you #ownyourparty this summer with some amazing beef and lamb recipes and….wait for it….a Big Green Egg giveaway!!! Pardon the pun, but it’s pretty #aussome and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
But first, before I get to the giveaway, I feel it’s absolutely necessary to tell you about these mouthwatering Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders.
When I got my shipment from True Aussie Beef & Lamb, I saw the grass-fed ground beef and, naturally, I immediately started thinking burgers. Then, my friend with the most amazing Hawaiiana-inspired home (yes, complete with naturally heated pool and waterslide) suggested we have our first pool party of the summer, dubbing it “Aloha Sunday.” I immediately knew I had to turn these burgers into an island-inspired treat, and these Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders were born!
So, what, you may be wondering, makes an “Island Style” beef slider? Well, let me fill you in! Think a normal slider, but with a few fun, tropical twists. The first important distinction between island style and just your average burger is a sweet-salty teriyaki glaze, brushed on to the burgers the moment they come off the grill. Brushing the sauce on while the sliders are still piping hot allows it to caramelize slightly and therefore stick nicely to the patties so you don’t have a huge mess on your hands. Have no fear, there will be extra sauce for adding to your sliders once you build them!
The other fairly consistent (at least in my book) difference between the two styles is the bun. Rather than typical slider buns, I served my Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls. THE best! If you haven’t ever had Hawaiian sweet bread, do yourself a favor and go buy some right this minute. They sell it in almost all big box grocery stores nowadays. I’m a big fan of King’s Hawaiian brand, and while we’re in Hawaii you can bet I’ll be stocking up on my favorite local brand there, Ani’s.
Okay, now we get to the somewhat controversial part: the condiments and toppings. Some argue that a “true” teri burger needs nothing more than a swipe of mayo and some lettuce, while others insist on including some fresh pineapple in the mix. There’s also that extra teriyaki sauce I mentioned earlier that to me is a non-negotiable. Of course, you’ll always have your traditionalists who MUST have their ketchup and mustard. I recommend just serving the sliders in a “build-your-own” manner, setting them out with all of the condiments imaginable and letting your guests opt for whichever direction they want to take.
Whichever way you choose to eat your Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders, I can tell you that you will NOT be disappointed. I added a secret ingredient or two to the patties just because, but with the quality of #TrueAussieBeef, you honestly don’t even need to. As soon as we tasted the finished product, I commented to my husband that you could really TASTE the fact that the beef was grass-fed. It’s melt-in-your-mouth tender, with a fresh, herbaceous quality that you really don’t taste every day. The ground beef is so flavorful, you could easily leave out any seasoning save for a little salt and pepper, but hey, I’m a food always blogger and like to put a little spin on things 😉
Okay, so that’s the delicious scoop on my Island Style Teriyaki Beef Sliders, now let’s get to the important part, the GIVEAWAY!! As part of my partnership with True Aussie Beef & Lamb and Big Green Egg, I was given both the delicious grass-fed ground beef I mentioned above as well as my very own Big Green Egg. I had read about these Big Green Eggs, and always been fascinated by them, but to be honest, didn’t think we needed to invest in one quite yet since we already own both a gas and charcoal grill. Boy, was I wrong! As soon as our Big Green Egg came into our lives (which we’re still thinking of a name for, any suggestions?) we knew it was going to be a game-changer and become a go-to for all our grilling, cooking and smoking needs.
This thing is amazing, and I’m happy to tell you anything you want to know about it (comment with any questions below!) but the most important thing I need to let you know is that YOU COULD WIN A BIG GREEN EGG FOR YOURSELF! That’s right, Big Green Egg and True Aussie Beef & Lamb will be sending one lucky winner a Big Green Egg through their “Greater Outdoors” campaign, running now through August 2. Click here to enter and cross your fingers that you’ll get to experience this truly #aussome outdoor cooking tool!
I’ll be taking things a little slower here on the blog for the next week and a half or so in order to really soak up our last vacation as a family of two, but you can certainly count on some more delicious #TrueAussieBeef and #TrueAussieLamb recipes during that time, plus more chances to enter to win your Big Green Egg!
Have a great Wednesday and continue to #beAussome!
Summer cookouts just got that much better with these sliders with a twist. A sweet-salty teriyaki glaze & Hawaiian sweet rolls are the ultimate game-changers!
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced garlic
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 pounds ground beef (preferably grass-fed True Aussie Ground Beef)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Hawaiian sweet roll buns
- Extra teriyaki sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Sliced tomato
- Sliced onion
- Sliced pineapple
Heat your grill to a medium-high temperature. If using the Big Green Egg, you’ll want the temperature to get to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
First, make the teriyaki sauce. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let come to a low simmer, then whisk in cornstarch until sauce begins to thicken. Turn off heat and let sit at room temperature while you make the burgers.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all burger ingredients. In this situation, it’s probably easiest to just get in there and mix everything together with your hands.
Once burger ingredients are combined, use your hands to form slider-size patties (make a ball about the size of a lacrosse ball, then flatten it slightly and use your thumb to place an indent in the center to allow the meat to expand while cooking.)
Place sliders on the prepared grill and cook for just a few minutes each side. Since the patties are small, they won’t take much time at all to cook.
Remove burgers from the grill and immediately brush with some of the prepared teriyaki sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve as a condiment.
Serve burger patties alongside sliced Hawaiian rolls and the rest of the suggested condiments. Let guests build their sliders as they please!
