Nacho Slide-Size Burgers

Nacho Slide-Size Burgers from Rachel Ray
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 15-ounce can lard-free spicy re-fried beans
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1/4 cup grated onion
2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 tablespoon ancho or other medium-heat chile powder (about a palmful)
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin (about 1/2 palmful)
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander (about 1/2 palmful)
1/2 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika or sweet paprika (about 1/2 palmful)
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) or vegetable oil, for drizzling
24 tortilla chips
2 cups shredded yellow sharp cheddar, smoked cheddar or pepper jack cheese
1 heart romaine lettuce or 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Pickled sliced jalapeño chile rings, drained, for serving

  • In a medium saucepan, bring about 1/2 cup water to a boil. In a small cup, mix the tomato paste with a few spoonfuls of the boiling water to thin the paste. Add the re-fried beans to the pan, stirring with the water in the pan to thin out a bit while they heat through. Lower the heat and keep the beans warm.
  • Place the beef in a bowl and add the reconstituted tomato paste, onion, garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander and paprika; season with salt and pepper. Form the meat into 8 small patties (thinner at the center than at the edges). Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle the patties with EVOO, add to the griddle and cook for a couple of minutes on each side.
  • Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Place the burgers on a rack-covered baking sheet and top each with about 2 tablespoons beans. Spread 3 chips with some of the remaining refried beans and pile on a burger (the beans are the glue between the chips). Repeat with the remaining chips, beans and sliders. Top the chips with the cheese and broil for a minute to melt.
  • Scatter the lettuce on plates or a platter and top with the sliders, tomatoes and pickled Jalapeños.
Here’s what I started with:

  • Measure out some tomato paste.  Put 1/2 cup of water on to boil.  Once it is boiling, put a few spoonfuls of hot water into the tomato paste.
  • Put some re-fried beans in with the remainder of the boiling water.
  • Put 1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin into a bowl and add 2 grated garlic cloves in with the meat. 
  • Add 1/4 cup of onion, the reconstituted tomato paste, and all of the spices.
  • Shape the burgers and put them into a medium-high cast-iron skillet.
  • Turn on the broiler.
  • Pull the burgers out of the skillet and put them on a baking sheet.  The burgers did fall apart a bit.  Next comes a couple of tablespoons of the re-fried beans onto the burger with some tortilla chips and cheese.
  • Into the broiler for a couple of minutes.
Here’s what you’ll end up with:
These little sliders are perfect for Sunday football and they give you the taste of two favorite tailgating foods; nachos and burgers.  They did fall apart a bit while in the skillet but I was able to form them back together on the baking sheet and then “glue” them together with the re-fried beans.  The actual ground sirloin and herbs could definitely be used in tacos and would taste great!
I served them on a bed of lettuce with some tomatoes, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa on the side.  I ended up just tearing my burger all apart and basically made a “nacho/taco” salad out of mine.