One day friends and I were discussing the merits of junk food. As you do while you’re watching True Blood. And one thing that struck us all was that it never looks as good as the ads says that it does. Occasionally, we go to a fast food chain (usually while travelling) and I point at the glowing picture of a cheeseburger all resplendent and luscious and a few minutes later, receive what resembles a bunched up round cleaning sponge in wax paper. I look at the image above and my burger and wonder if they have anything in common.
A photographer once told me that to shoot these lovely shots, they inserted pieces of cardboard or styrofoam between each layer so that each layer looks perky and distinct, so they don’t melt into each other. I’m a huge fan of layering anything really and that afternoon, dreamed up a nine layer slider using sketches as a guide.
Oh how we’ve caught onto the slider phenomenon, an American idea that apparently originated at the White Castle chain where they trademarked the term Slyder in reference to how easy they were to eat and slide down the throat. It’s essentially a mini hamburger and versions of these have been popping up in cafes, restaurants and hipster joints all over. Like burgers, they can be filled with all sorts of things including fancier filling like crab, wagyu, truffles or even oyster a la po’ boy style.
This version is one that didn’t involve and cardboard or styrofoam layers and is based on a hybrid or two favourite foods: sliders and nachos. They’re ideal for entertaining and are really quite quick to make especially once you have all the fillings ready. And with these, I promise there is no disappointing look or regret that something doesn’t look as it was supposed to. Just the point in the constellations where nachos meets burger and sparks fly.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite junk food? I have to admit burgers and fries are one of mine as are potato chips! And do you find that things don’t look like they used to?
Nine Layer Nachos Sliders
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
For patties:
- 500g/1 pound beef mince
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon- 1 tablespoon chilli powder (depending on how hot the chilli powder is and how hot you like it or whether you’re making these for kids)
- 2 teaspoon mild chilli flakes (optional, you can tell I love chilli right?
) - 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- pinch or oregano
- oil for frying
For the rest of the slider
- 8 small dinner rolls or slider buns
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- guacamole* recipe below
- cheese-sliced thick so it can melt all over
- small jar of salsa
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
- small pack of corn chips
- small tin of refried beans
1. Firstly, make the beef patties. I do this in a food processor but of course you can just use a knife but I like the smooth consistency of doing it in a processor. In a food processor, chop the onions and garlic and add the rest of the ingredients including the beef and process until smooth. Have a container or large tray ready and with wet hands, shape into round patties roughly the size of the bun. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. Preheat oven to 180C/350F (this is to melt the cheese) and line a baking tray with parchment. Heat a frypan and add some oil and cook the patties on both sides until done inside, I find that when you press in the centre and it springs back then it is done. Place the cheese on top and place in the oven to melt the cheese for about 5 minutes.
3. Have a production line ready for the rest. Now layering is a serious matter here when you’re dealing with nine layers. I’ve listed the ingredients above in the order in which I’ve added them starting from the bottom. First, add a thin layer of guacamole and sour cream-not too much or your patty will slide off (which I guess is in line with the name of slider). Then add the melted cheese topped beef patty. On top of this, add a teaspoon of salsa, then the slice of tomato and then lettuce. Then on the top half of the bun, spread some refried beans and add a corn chip to this and then sandwich this all together. Because these are small, you won’t need to unhinge your jaw to eat this. Unless you are a child, in which unhinging your jaw is part of the fun.
My inauthentic but quick guacamole
- 1 ripe medium sized avocado
- 3-4 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- squeeze of lime juice (about 1-2 teaspoons to taste)
- salt and pepper
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70 Comments | Add your own
Droolworthy! Those sliders are to-die-for.
cheers,
Rosa
Love these sliders! I would love to have these!! The cardboard Styrofoam ones… not so much!
You’ve outdone yourself with these sliders, Lorraine! Love the umbrellas
.
What an epic burger! How did you end up getting your mouths around that?
Did you know that sliders technically are not mini-burgers. They’re actually mini burgers that are steamed, not toasted. They’re so soft, that’s why they ‘slide’ down so easily.
Your Sliders look wonderful Lorraine, and I loved your sketch! I’m going to have to make them. Very occasionally I love potato scallops from the fish and chip shop. Not only do I think food doesn’t look like it used to I don’t think it tastes like it used to either (maybe that’s rose-coloured glasses, or taste buds!). Thanks for the recipe.
Getting your creative on with sketching out envisioned food! I love how towering they look – I believe they will be messy to eat but delicious
Finally you get a burger that looks like the photo, or vice versa:) Sometimes the burgers I eat look/taste better than the photo – and this happens after many drinks. You should try this:)
What lovely looking snacks – and not a hint of styrofoam! Excellent work again, Lorraine!
I love the sound of this – any tips on how to eat it?
Never a fan of commercial fast food for the reasons you describe – it never ever looks anything like its supposed to and tastes of nothing but calories and plastic cheese. And I always fear putting food hygiene in the hands of those spotty teens you can glimpse behind the scenes (blatent stereotyping acknowledged). Now, your sliders here are a different story altogether and they are making me hungry.
9 layers? How on Earth would I be able to put that in my mouth? Haha it looks absolutely to die for. I find that making your own burgers leaves your options endless, and you can control what’s in them.
These look delicious! Definitely no cleaning sponge look here. I always think fast food never looks like it does in the ads.
ooohhhhh, I love burgers, fries and potato chips as well. Is it wrong that I want one of those sliders for breakfast?
Love the burger schematic
Sounds amazing actually – too many sliders out there are same-same
Woah! How’d you fit that in your mouth? I bet you had some juice running down your forearm! I wish slider rolls were more readily available, sometimes fluffy dinner rolls just don’t cut it!
As for my favourite junk food, i’m afraid as a serious sweet tooth it has to be macaron batter. Weird yes, but I could eat it by the bucketful!
Corn chips on a burger? YES please!
Corn chips and fries are my junk food weaknesses especially tasty cheese CCs. I’m not fussy on the fries. I’ll take fat or skinny as long as they’re not soggy.
I was salivating at your first photo – so disappointed when I found out I had to make these myself!! Nice work! : D
OH MY WORD! I am almost licking my screen. They look so delicious Lorraine and I’m going to have to try them
I was salivating at your first photo, how disappointing to find out I would have to make this myself to enjoy one! He he!
How awesome. I love sliders and small burgers! (Haha, I like cute food) And they’re excellent for small children to eat!
YUMMY! They look fantastic. I like any savoury junk food – burgers, hot chips…normal packets of chips. Whatever…I’m not fussy.
My weakness is potato chips and yes it is very disappointing to receive a grey droopy burger and not the crisp and vubrant one in the photo
Yummm
Haha I love how much planning had to go into the slider construction. Genius idea!
Yes, yes, yes…I like junk food, ok, those are not healthy but I don’t care, anyway don’t eat junk food frequently, but when I do, I really enjoy it. Burgers are the best, of course, but yes, what we see in pictures are more than we see in the plates.
these look delicious! and of youre talking abt maccas, ive had to return my mcchicken 3 times on a occasion cos they either forgot the top bun, the bottom bun or the lettuce. not happy!
Yummy! You’re a temptress, Lorraine!
I have a friend who ended up at a King’s Cross McD’s one night years ago and ordered a Big Mac. And received something that didn’t resemble the photo on display. So he sent it back. 3 times. He’s 6’11″, with a booming voice, not shy and was (funny, not wobbly) drunk so there was never going to be any possibility of a disappointed sigh being his only response. Finally, the manager gave him all the food his party ordered for free and urged him out of the store.
LOL Eva, that’s hilarious!
And I’ll bet he wanted him out of the store before everyone realised that their food didn’t look like it was supposed to 
In recent weeks I struck a wonderful overseas food blog specializing in photography explaining exactly how these appetizing photos were achieved. Quite an art with any amount of pins and props and artificial colouration and actual ‘non’food pretending to be such! I guess it is ‘buyer beware’! Have found today’s post very interesting actually as I have finally found out most of the facts about ‘sliders’ and yours look great: thank you for all the layers also
! On the one hand I have not put any form of fast food in my mouth for decades. On the other I certainly make all kinds of beef patties originating from all over the world about once a week or so as my ‘red meat’ choice – but sans bun and chips 
!
Mini chocolate covered peanut butter cups. Because then I can eat forty thousand of them. You know, because they’re mini, so they don’t count.
Nothing like burgers and fries, TRUE!
Brings back many Weston* memories too!(*former burger franchise in the States — who before the Golden arches, their trademark was a W arch!)
My MO re food photography is “Rustic” as enjoy seeing foods as people can create naturally!
Then I always add some unique twist to express my food personality!
I had to laugh at the White Castle slyder. They’re White Castle in the west and Krystals in the east where I lived. They were called “gut bombs” to anyone I knew. Still, I saw lots of people eating a dozen of them. –those wacky Americans– lol. I love your sliders. I wonder how the heck I could get that in my mouth without using a knife and fork.
what the what. Why am I not eating this right now?
Dude. You’ve combined three of my favourite things! Minature versions of delicious things, burgers and nachos. These look incredible.
Wow. These look amazing. Fresh homemade burgers are definitely the best. Crumpets are something that are so different now. I remember when they were thick and springy not like the flat pancakes they are now.
That is the most glorious thing ever–and that’s exactly how everyone down here eats their burgers.
Love sliders. Love White Castle’s. Love these. Great recipe–and what terrific results.
Favorite? I don’t eat much fast food, but just every now and then a hamburger or fried chicken goes down rather well–and if in the states, a McDo’s Sausage and Biscuit.
So many layers! <3 How funny that those photographers used layers of Styrofoam for the perfect look!
Ultimate comfort food right here
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What tasty looking little burgers!
I think the Americans do junk food best. I love a hot wings and omg jalapeno poppers – jalapenoes filled with cheese, crumbed then deep fried and served with ranch sauce. Amazing.
How did this slider hold up! incredible! I’m not even sure if I can put that in my mouth!
It looks like one of those really sinful things that you just want to grab and eat it anyway esp with a pint of beer. I should make a simplified version of this soon!
My favourite junk has got to be burger and fries. They are days where I crave for them so badly!
What a great sounding dish, Lorraine! Delicious.
You evil evil woman!!!! I want one right now!!! So much for the healthy PHO (soup) I am making…….
Your sliders look so colorful! I bet anyone would grab one if placed in front of them, except maybe vegetarians.
How yummy! These look amazing Lorraine and nothing like what you get on a road trip. I dread the road trip with Carl because as you know, between here and QLD you only have one option if you’re hungry so we go in and all Carl does is complain about how the burgers look nothing like the ones in the pictures and how small everything’s become like the quarter pounder used to have a quarter of a pound of beef in it and the buns were bigger and you only needed to order one but now that barely hits the sides and so you have to order extras etc, etc. Before we walk in I say, ‘Carl, you’re not going to go on with that ‘back in my day’ story are you?’ xx
Dear Lord.
I’ve died and gone to heaven.
What a great combo of layers.
Hi Lorraine, how are you? Sorry I haven’t been visiting for ages! Been a busy few weeks but back to normality now
This is the burger/slider of my dream… they look superb! As Mae West said, too much of a good thing can be wonderful!
Burger and fries are defo one of my favourite junk foods, but I do love fried chicken as well.
Oh. My. God.
Faints.
Oh these look so yum and huge! My fav junk food is of course something sweet! I have a big sweet tooth
Dear Laird, as a friend of mine would say, but these look immense! And they’re supposed to be sliders! Sliders with everything on them, even! Props to you for making this seriously fun bunch of sarnies!
(Incidentally, I’m rather partial to hot dogs with the works, thick-cut chips, and unsauced nachos.)
OMG I LOVE your sliders!
Have you also noticed how the burgers in fast food joints seem to keep shrinking over time too? Nothing beats making your own ‘fast food’ at home though.
Oh.My.Goodness! That certainly punches above its weight
Love your ‘inauthentic but quick’ guac.
Oh my goodness they are massive! Look great and a nice slider combo.
Well, my junk food of choice is cheeseburger and fries – and yes I’m very fond of crisps too.
These photos look lovely and sliders seem harmless no?
Your sliders are seriously to die for…I would love it if they slid down my throat right now.
I have seen them on quite a few restaurant menus lately, mostly at tapas places but none of them look at good as this!
My favourite junk food would have to be burgers and chips as well…sometimes I just have junk food cravings..
What a yummy idea Lorraine! I’m not a fan of junk food chains at all- especially when I ask for a burger without the bun or cheese!
Home made yummies like this certainly don’t count as junk food to me
Epic! I love the idea of layering the crunch of the corn chip in there. My favourite junk food does a similar thing- guacamole and cheese quesadillas with a sneaky addition of corn chips into the bite as well- it’s all about the combination of squish and crunch.
OMG DON’T! These look amazing. I’m in Thailand at the moment on holiday and looking at these make me want to get home to my kitchen.
I desperately want one of those!
These are definitely on the menu for my annual Holiday Party!
yum!!!
I thought I was dreaming when I read this post, lol. That’s one huge yummy slider – and I’m absolutely diggin’ into it! My fave junk food, uhm… potato chips and ice cream. I always think those two really get along well.
These look so delicious! We had the best sliders in Hawaii last week and now that we’re back in Aus I might have to make these! Thanks!
These look crazy delicious! Junk food – my preference totally changes depending on my craving! Often chocolate, sometimes chips & burgers too
Heidi xo
OMG … BURGERS AND CHIPS… such a guilty pleasure!
What to have for lunch today?
I think you just made up my mind for me!
Oh I am a sucker for real, hand-made potato scallops with salt … yummy!
Those look delicious and would satisfy my need for junk food
These are brilliant and I love the diagram showing their construction! I know what you mean about junk food shown in ads…it is always such a disappointment when I actually eat it that I try to remind myself of it the next time a craving strikes. It’s always better to make it at home — I know a burger like this would be much better than anything from a chain!
My heart is melting… so bad, and so good!
Oh my gosh! That looks amazeballs!
Oh yummy! I love the hand drawn diagram too…you’re so funny.
i would gladly unhinge my jaw to insert one of these lovely sliders into my mouth. what a masterpiece!
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