Sliders are pint-sized sandwiches that pack a wallop of flavor into each bite. There are different stories regarding how sliders came to be. Some posit that the name came from the fact that sliders being so small can easily “slide down the throat,” a concept attributed to hungry American sailors during WWII. The burger chain White Castle also lays claim to the slider name, having built its brand upon these modest burgers.
Although sliders are most often associated with hamburgers, modern recipes utilize different types of fillings between the buns. Because they’re small, sliders also are great for sampling different flavors, with two or more sliders being paired together on a dish. Those who want to try something different with their sliders can opt for “Rosemary Pork Sliders with Horseradish Aioli” from “Cooking Light: Dinner’s Ready” (Oxmoor House) from the Cooking Light Kitchens.
Pork Sliders with Horseradish Aioli
Makes 24
1 11⁄2-pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 cup water
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1⁄2 cup vertically sliced shallots (2 large)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, minced
3⁄4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
24 wheat slider buns, split and toasted
2 cups arugula
1. Sprinkle pork with pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer pork to a 3-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Add 1 cup water and next four ingredients to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until tender.
2. Remove pork from slow cooker; place in a bowl. Shred pork with 2 forks. Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl, reserving shallots and garlic. Add 3⁄4 cup of strained cooking liquid, shallots and garlic to pork; toss well. Discard remaining cooking liquid.
3. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish in a small bowl. Spoon about 2 tablespoons pork mixture on bottom half of each bun. Top evenly with arugula. Spread 11⁄2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture on cut side of each bun top. Cover sliders with bun tops.
