Hatch Chili & Cheddar Bacon Smash Burger Sliders

In this recipe I blister the Hatch chilies on the stove then remove the seeds to cut down on the heat while keeping the flavor. The chilies are mixed into the patties with shredded Cheddar cheese then add extra to the top of the sliders with sliced Cheddar cheese and bacon for extra flavor. These sliders make for the perfect appetizer for tailgating during fall.

Hatch Chili & Cheddar Bacon Smash Burger Sliders

All About Hatch Chilies

Grown in Hatch, New Mexico, Hatch chilies are in season during late summer and early fall in the American southwest (and sold on the West Coast as well). The New Mexico peppers range from mild to hot and come in both green and red varieties.

I hadn’t encountered the fanfare and borderline obsession that people have surrounding Hatch pepper season until moving to California. People love them for their balance of sweetness and spice as well as their versatility.

They can be roasted, smoked, made into salsas, soups and chilies or just chopped and used to top salads or accompany meats.

Why Smash Burgers?

Pressing the meat down into a cast iron pan maximizes the browning and creates a crust on the patty, which also enhances the flavor and makes for a crispy texture. It’s important to get the pan or griddle very hot. The burgers are cooked over high heat so that the burgers don’t dry out and you get the signature crust. 

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Hatch chilies – If Hatch chilis aren’t available in your area, you can substitute Anaheim green peppers for this recipe. They can be found at most grocery stores nationwide and year round.
• Cheddar Cheese – Always use sharp Cheddar when cooking. If you use mild or medium Cheddar the flavor will cook out and the recipe will be lacking in that cheesy flavor.
• Ground beef – I use a blend of 80% lean/ 20% fat ground beef. The fat adds flavor to the burger which I season simply with salt and pepper and add the cheddar cheese and chilies. The blend of fat also helps to keep the burger moist as it sears. In a simple recipe like this – the quality of the meat is important. 
• Bacon – When cooking bacon for sandwiches I like to bake it. By baking it in the oven the bacon remains flat and evenly crisps, making it easy to stack on sandwiches and burgers.

How to Make Hatch Chili & Cheddar Bacon Sliders

1. Bake the bacon. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Arrange the strips of bacon in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cut each strip in half lengthwise.
2. Char the chilies. Heat a gas stove burner to medium-low heat. Add the chilies to the grates so they sit over the open flame and let cook until charred all over, rotating occasionally with metal tongs, about 1 to 2 minutes total.
3. Remove the skin from the chilies. Add the chilies to a bowl and cover with a plate and let the chilies steam for about 10 minutes. Remove the chilies from the bowl and use your fingers to rub off the charred skin and discard. Slice off the top of the chilies and remove the seeds.
4. Make the burger patties. Set one of the chilies aside and chop the remaining chilies. Add to a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, cheddar cheese, green onions, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined, being careful not to over mix. Shape the ground beef mixture into 2½ ounce patties (you should have about 12 patties).
5. Cook the sliders. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add four patties to the skillet and cook for a minute. Flip and add a cooking press or aluminum foil-wrapped brick to press the burger and cook for an additional minute. Remove to a cookie sheet to let stand. Repeat the process with the remaining patties.
6. Add the cheese. Preheat the oven to broil. Top the patties with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese has melted.
7. Assemble and serve. Slice the charred chili that was set aside into strips. Add a patty to the bottom half of a bun and top with bacon and chili and close with the top of the bun. Serve immediately.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Smash Burgers
• Spicy Black Bean and Corn Veggie Burgers
• Beef Sliders with Chipotle Mayo and Crispy Onion Strings

Hatch Chili & Cheddar Bacon Smash Burger Sliders

Print Pin

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Serves 12 sliders

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• ¾ pound applewood cured bacon
• 3 Hatch chilies, divided
• 2 ½ pounds 80/20 ground beef
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 12 slider buns, halved

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Arrange the strips of bacon in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cut each strip in half lengthwise.
• Heat a gas stove burner to medium-low heat. Add the chilies to the grates so they sit over the open flame and let cook until charred all over, rotating occasionally with metal tongs, about 1 to 2 minutes total.
• Add the chilies to a bowl and cover with a plate and let the chilies steam for about 10 minutes. Remove the chilies from the bowl and use your fingers to rub off the charred skin and discard. Slice off the top of the chilies and remove the seeds.
• Set one of the chilies aside and chop the remaining chilies. Add to a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, cheddar cheese, green onions, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined, being careful not to over mix. Shape the ground beef mixture into 2½ ounce patties (you should have about 12 patties).
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add four patties to the skillet and cook for a minute. Flip and add a cooking press or aluminum foil-wrapped brick to press the burger and cook for an additional minute. Remove to a cookie sheet to let stand. Repeat the process with the remaining patties.
• Preheat the oven to broil. Top the patties with the remaining cheese and broil until the cheese has melted.
• Slice the charred chili that was set aside into strips. Add a patty to the bottom half of a bun and top with bacon and chili and close with the top of the bun. Serve immediately.

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