Smoky Pork Sliders with Smoky Barbecue Sauce

What's better than a big juicy burger? Lot's of little juicy burgers of course. Being able to go back for a second burger is on my list of Favourite Things to do in Summer. Along with watching late night reruns of Sea Change, seeing how many different flavours of gelato I can balance on a waffle cone and painting my toenails Pinkalicious.



Smoky Pork Sliders with Smoky Barbecue Sauce
adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course
Makes 8

For the Patties:
1 tablespoon olive oil
500g ground pork
4 rashers streaky bacon, finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Barbecue Sauce:
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Burgers:
8 mini bread rolls
1 small lettuce, finely shredded
2 tomatoes, finely sliced
Smoked cheese, finely sliced

Make the Patties:
Put the olive oil into a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook until golden. Add the paprika, stir and set aside to cool.

Once the bacon and onion mixture have cooled, add the ground pork and season with salt and pepper. Mix well with you hand and then form them into 8 even sized patties. Chill for 30 minutes.

Heat a grill pan or your barbecue grill to high. Lightly oil the patties and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes on the first side. Turn the patties over and place a slice of cheese on top. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on the second side until the patty is cooked through and the cheese is starting to melt. Remove the patties from the heat and leave them to rest for about 3 minutes.

Make the Barbecue Sauce:
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and cook over low-medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Assemble the Burgers:
Cut the bread rolls in half and top them with some lettuce and a slice of tomato. Pop a burger on top and anoint with the sauce. Put the bread roll top on.