You've Been Cooking Frozen Sliders The Wrong Way This Whole Time

Regular frozen burgers are out, and frozen sliders are firmly in. A slider is subtly different from a mini burger , and by purchasing these easy-to-find frozen goods ahead of time, you can have a piping-hot one on your plate when you're most craving it, without having to jump in your car and drive all the way to White Castle. However, for such seemingly simple items, cooking frozen sliders can be a little more complicated than you think.

If you're working with just the frozen patty alone, it can be a challenge to prepare it properly without scorching and overcooking the meat, leaving you with dry hockey pucks in your teeny burger buns. On the other hand, if you're cooking the fully sandwiched frozen version (which combines the patty, buns, and cheese in one plastic-wrapped package), it's tricky to avoid sogginess and inconsistencies in temperature. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way, folks.



Cooking frozen sliders is way simpler than you think — and most of the time, all it takes to do so is to ignore the package instructions and apply some nifty tips and tricks. By skipping the microwave and using an air fryer, skillet, or even an Instant Pot, you can have perfect frozen sliders in minutes. If you're still planning on nuking them, a few tweaks can help you get it just right.

Mistake: You're not flipping your frozen sliders half way through cooking The microwave is far and away the most popular appliance for cooking frozen sliders. We understand why: Not only is microwaving the recommended method on the back of most packages of frozen sliders, but it's also the quickest and easiest way to warm them up. Unfortunately, though, a lot of people don't put enough thought into how they microwave them.

Instead, they just toss the shrink-wrapped frozen slider into their machine, put in the recommended time, and wait — only to be met with a sodden, inconsistently heated little burger. To avoid this, you need to make sure you're flipping them halfway through. After you've given your sliders their first blast in the microwave (for around 40 seconds to a minute, depending on the power of your appliance), turn them over and pop them back in for the rest of the cooking time.

Doing this will ensure that the frozen sliders are being zapped from all angles, which helps them heat through more effectively, while also allowing any steam or moisture collecting on their undersides to dissipate more easily. You can help said moisture do this by removing them from their plastic wrapping, instead of leaving them in there. Mistake: You haven't tried cooking them in the air fryer You've probably heard by now that you can use your air fryer for everything — and yes, that includes frozen sliders.

While store-bought frozen sliders, like the type made by White Castle, are designed to be microwaved, using your air fryer to cook them can help you generate more texture. When you pop frozen sliders in the air fryer, the hot air circulating around them helps to gently crisp the buns and the edges of your meat, giving you slightly more bite in each burger. Importantly, though, you shouldn't air-fry your sliders when they're still fully-frozen.

Air fryers can technically be used to defrost food, but the extended time you'll need for this may dry the sliders out. We would first recommend thawing them on a low setting in your microwave, or leaving them out on the counter to soften and come up to room temperature. Then you can pop them straight in your air fryer for a couple of minutes to heat them up and finish the job.

Mistake: You're not adding any extra sauce The thing about frozen sliders — the packaged ones that come fully formed, bun and all — is that they can be frustratingly dry. Some of them may not have any sauce added to them out of fear that they'll make the slider too moist, while others rely on their cheese to provide juiciness. Unfortunately, the result of this can be frozen sliders that have a mealy, chalky consistency, and which are also lacking in any flavor dynamics that can wake them up a little.

You really need to be adding sauce to your sliders, people. Once they're cooked, simply add a spoonful of your favorite sauce before eating, and you'll be amazed at how big the difference is. Classics like ketchup, mustard, mayo, and hot sauce all work perfectly well in frozen sliders.

Alternatively, you could whip up a speedy burger sauce by combining mayo, ketchup, mustard, sweet pickle relish, and a dash of salt and pepper. You can put this all together in the time it takes to microwave your burgers, too. Mistake: You're only working with the cheese already included Frozen sliders typically come with cheese included — which may sound like music to your ears, until you actually taste it.

The cheese in frozen sliders is often fairly cheap and plasticky, and doesn't really add much taste. It's definitely not the worst out there, and probably not worth trying to remove — you'll just end up with flakes of frozen cheese all over your patty. But it's also not exactly enough to revolutionize your burger.

We recommend adding extra cheese to make your frozen sliders sing. Doing this is simple. You can either pry open your frozen sliders before cooking them and pop in your choice of shredded cheese, or once it's cooked you can sprinkle on your favorite dairy and pop the bottom bun and patty under the broiler to melt it.

We'd recommend doing the latter, so that you don't end up with a weird, partially-melted texture. As for what cheese to use, the world's your oyster. Swiss, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby are all excellent choices, and can give your slider an added boost of nuttiness and a savory pop.

For a slightly more sophisticated note, reach for Gruyère, which can add a touch of sweetness. Mistake: You're thawing your sliders before cooking them on the grill Grilling slider patties can give them a delightfully smoky flavor, and allows you to char and caramelize them at a high heat without overcooking their insides. It might surprise you to hear, though, that when it comes to frozen sliders it's best to cook them from frozen.

Generally speaking, frozen sliders (as well as bigger frozen burgers) are intended to be cooked from their frosty state. Thawing them beforehand can cause them to lose too much moisture and their structural integrity, whereas cooking them from frozen can keep them tender and well-integrated. Cooking sliders from frozen can also help to keep them slightly pink on the inside — which can be pretty tricky given their small size.

The exterior browns, while the inside thaws and warms through without cooking, which helps to keep a juicy interior. Just make sure that your sliders are actually cooked through before you take them off the grill, as otherwise you'll be left with a mouthful of still-frozen meat. A good way to check this is by sticking a toothpick through your patty; if it goes through without any resistance and comes out clean, you're good to go.

Mistake: You're not cooking your sliders in the oven If you're making sliders from scratch and using frozen patties to do so, you'll likely be dealing with a lot of tiny pieces of meat. There has to be an easier way to cook them than pan-frying or grilling them one by one, right? Well, yes, there is — you can use your oven! Frozen slider patties cook excellently in the oven, whether they're raw or precooked. If they're raw, the meat will gently thaw and brown, remaining moist while avoiding being overcooked.

If you're working with precooked frozen patties, they'll warm through easily without being sapped of their juiciness (provided that you keep your oven temperature low and slow). Regular raw, frozen burgers generally take about 20 to 25 minutes in an oven set to 425 F, so if you're working with smaller sliders, you might want to reduce that time slightly so that they don't overcook. It's also important to flip your sliders halfway through cooking, whether they're raw or precooked, so that they warm through evenly on each side.

If you're concerned about them losing any moisture, cover your baking dish with foil to trap any released steam. Mistake: You're not covering them with paper towel in the microwave If you're cooking premade frozen sliders, you're likely using your microwave to do so. Hey, why wouldn't you? It's quick, it's easy, and it's what the package says to do.

However, there's a right and a wrong way to microwave your teeny, tiny burgers. The wrong way is to sling them into your microwave still in their cellophane wrapper. Although some package instructions might tell you to do this, the plastic traps all the moisture that's released from the burger, which often makes the bread gluey.

You want to find a way to create steam around the frozen slider, while still allowing some of it to be released. That's where a paper towel comes in. Wrapping your slider in a paper towel helps to trap heat around it and keep the steam that's released close (which helps to thaw and warm the patty and bun), but the towel also absorbs any of the excess steam you just don't need.

Ensure that you tuck the paper towel around the slider fairly snugly, so that it doesn't unfurl halfway through cooking. Mistake: You're not adding any extra seasonings Frozen sliders can be pretty tasty — but not all the time. Every now and again, you end up with a slider that's tasteless and lacking in any punch whatsoever.

Sure, it may have a good salt content, but beyond that, it's just bland and boring. Part of this is by design: Sliders tend to be pretty mildly flavored to appeal to as many people as possible. However, that doesn't mean they need to stay that way.

You can take the opportunity to add some extra seasonings to your sliders, either before you cook them or once they're ready to go, to give them extra dynamism. One of the easiest ways to do this is with some granulated garlic or onion salt, which can imbue them with a deeply savory flavor that would otherwise be lost. Alternatively, hit them with a little mustard salt, or even a sprinkling of taco seasoning .

You could even just give them a scrunch of black pepper, which can complement the beef without taking over. Mistake: You aren't splitting them in half There's nothing more disappointing than unmelted cheese in a burger. Okay, that's not true, there are literally millions of things more disappointing than that — but humor us here.

With frozen sliders, this is a particular problem. The cheese sits right in the middle of the little burgers, leaving it unexposed to the heat used to thaw them. As a result, it's kinda the last thing to warm up, and this can leave it remaining relatively solid, if not still just frozen.

How do you avoid this? By splitting your sliders in half. When cooking your sliders in the air fryer, begin by gently prying them open with a fork, putting the utensil between the top bun and the slice of cheese. The bottom half of the slider will come away, leaving the cheese slice (hopefully) intact and sitting on top of the patty.

Then, cook them in your air fryer for a couple of minutes. As the cheese is exposed to the heat, it'll thaw and melt easily, eventually bubbling up and lightly browning. You can then pop them back together, adding any sauces you like, and enjoy them immediately.

Mistake: You're failing to include any add-ons You know the worst thing about frozen sliders? In their basic state, they're pretty unadventurous. You're lucky if you get a slice of cheese or some pre-grilled onions in your teeny burger: A lot of the time, it's just a patty and a bun. This may make it inoffensive and accessible to all, but come on, it's also super bland.

Don't forget, though, that the endless list of add-ons that you can put on burgers is also totally possible with your sliders. So don't be afraid to get adventurous, people! Pop an onion ring in each slider for crunch and umami, or scatter them with some crispy fried onions for the same effect. Add some spice with jalapeños or serrano chiles, or pop in a dollop of pesto to keep things herbal and fresh.

You could even put in a pineapple slice to sweeten up your sliders and give them a tropical twist. Remember that add-ons are also an opportunity to add textural contrast, too: It's amazing what a scattering of lettuce and a slice of cucumber can do. Mistake: You're not using your Instant Pot When was the last time you used your Instant Pot? This handy appliance had a real moment a couple of years back, but more recently it's become one of those things that just sits at the back of the cupboard, collecting dust.

Well, folks, if you need an excuse to get it back out, here's one: Using your Instant Pot is one of the best ways to make sliders. Why, you ask? Well, one big White Castle secret is that its sliders are steamed instead of grilled, and using an Instant Pot allows you to create a steam bath to cook frozen sliders just like your favorite fast food restaurant does. To do this, place a wire rack at the bottom of your pot, and then pour in some water underneath (not enough for it to reach the wire, but enough to produce a good amount of steam).

Line the wire rack with foil, and then pop your sliders on top. Put three minutes on the clock on your Instant Pot at high pressure, and then leave it to do its thing. When it's done, your frozen sliders will be fully thawed and totally juicy.

Mistake: You're failing to moisten your sliders One of the biggest things people mess up when making frozen sliders is the balance of moisture to dryness. When you just shove them in the microwave without a second thought and with no preparation beforehand, you can end up drying them out too much, as the inherent moisture in the slider disappears into your appliance. If you're not trapping your moisture somehow, you'll need to introduce additional water to ensure maximum juiciness.

Doing this is simple. You first begin by taking your sliders apart, before adding a couple drops of water to the meat. Pop that in the microwave until fully warmed through: The moisture should help the slider meat steam and soften.

Once the meat is fully thawed, you then pop your buns in the microwave for a few seconds to heat up, before reassembling the whole sandwich and adding in any extra items (cheese, pickles, onions) that you want. Mistake: You're not frying your frozen sliders If you're working with raw frozen sliders, it might be tempting to thaw them before you toss them in your frying pan. Well, don't.

It's entirely possible to cook slider patties from frozen in your frying pan, and doing so can help you get a nice browning on the outside while keeping them relatively moist. This is the perfect solution if you don't have the energy to bust out the grill to cook your sliders, but still want a nice sizzle. To cook your frozen sliders in a frying pan, you need to do little more than throw them in and wait.

Make sure you add a little oil to the bottom of the pan so that they don't stick. They won't need a huge amount of time to cook through — maybe a minute or two on each side, depending on how chunky they are. Don't forget to season them with salt and pepper while they're cooking, too.

Mistake: You're forgetting to top them with melted butter The work doesn't finish with a frozen slider once it's cooked, people. Too many people forget that there's a delicious final step you can take with these sandwiches, with a quick dab of melted butter on the top turning them from a workhorse burger into something pretty special. Crowning sliders with melted butter is usually reserved for the baked ham and cheese version, but you can do it with the frozen, beef-containing kind very easily.

Once they're thawed and ready to go, take a pastry brush, dip it in some melted butter, and paint the top. Don't forget that you can also jazz up your butter to add even more flavor. Whip up a quick garlic butter by combining melted butter with minced garlic and chopped herbs, with a dash of Worcestershire sauce in there for some savory contrast.

Or, create a spiced butter with a sprinkle of ground cumin or some chili powder, which can give your sliders a pleasing bit of fire. Want to make things ultra-fancy? Try mixing your melted butter with a glug of truffle oil, or even shaving some fresh truffles into it. We bet you never thought your frozen sliders could be gourmet, huh?.