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Bacon Bleu Cheese Sliders are one of the best things to come out of Mr. Crumby’s Kitchen! Four-bite burgers, packed with bacon, seasoning, and just the right amount of bleu cheese. Even the bleu haters will love them!
It’s the mooooost wonderful tiiiiiime of the yeeeeear…
And no, those aren’t jingle bells you’re hearing in the background – they’re referee whistles!
Yep, football season has returned!!
In foodie terms, it’s time to crank out new and delicious tailgating recipes to feed the hungry crowds!
To kickoff the season (watch out for falling puns,) I pulled Mr. Crumby in from the sidelines, and we teamed up to tackle this touchdown of a snack (or appetizer, or meal) – converted one of his favorite burgers into these Bacon Bleu Cheese Sliders, and they are the perfect match for some Gallo Family Merlot!
Tailgating: it’s a term I’m fairly familiar with, and a pastime I adore!
I remember the first football game I ever attended, and while I couldn’t understand most of what was going on, I was so happy to join the crowd in their joys and disappointments. As I went to more games, the mechanics began to make sense.
Eventually, every Friday night became football night.
When most people think football, beer comes to mind, right? It’s a great match with most food, and is super convenient – a cold bottle or icy can being enjoyed, no need to worry about cleaning glasses or hassling with red cups.
But what about the football fans out there who aren’t huge brewsky fans (you know you’re out there!), and prefer a nice warm red or crisp white wine with their burgers and hot dogs?
Gallo has you folks covered, and makes it so easy to stay away from using glasses with their mini wine bottles!
As you know, my hubby is an excellent chef, and I’m excited to share his best dishes with you in the Mr. Crumby’s Kitchen series. When the opportunity arose to pair one of my favorite wines with tailgating food for this week’s #SundaySupper, I knew he would have a hand in the recipe.
As a butcher, he knows his meats, and just what to do with them to enhance and elevate them to restaurant-worthy dishes. These Bacon Bleu Cheese Sliders are no exception, and have become a meal I request pretty often since he perfected it a few months ago.
Your eyes do not deceive you.
I just said I ask for food with bleu cheese in it.
Me, the girl who hates everything about the moldy, penicillin-esque crumbles.
Don’t get me wrong, I still despise the stuff, but not when it’s in these burgers. Mr. Crumby swore to me that he got the ratio so spot-on, that even my bleu-hating self would love them, and he was absolutely right.
The sliders merely leave a hint of bleu cheese on your taste buds; there’s just enough mixed in them to help bind the meat together. It’s the bacon that’s the other star in these three-bite burgers, as it not only tops them, it’s also mixed into the beef.
Our core group of mutual friends get together every Sunday at our respective houses, where each person or couple hosts and cooks the main dish for the night in a round. While we often have to work on Sundays, we will very likely still show up afterwards, snacks in hand to share. Mr. Crumby loves making people happy with his food, and these sliders are guaranteed to do just that…even for bleu cheese-haters like me.
And as for the beer vs. wine tailgate debate, some football foods just taste better with something a little fruity and non-carbonated, and the flavors in these sliders will blow you away if you pair them with Gallo’s Merlot or Cabernet (my personal fave.) As the analogy goes…
Peanut Butter : Jelly :: Bacon Bleu Cheese Sliders : Gallo Family Wines
OK, so I clearly made that one up, but I promise it’s true! Give them a try and tell me what you think!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/3 pound ground pork
- 10 slices bacon, fried
- 3 Tablespoons bleu cheese
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Cheddar cheese slices
- Lettuce
- Tomato, sliced
- Slider buns
- 3 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, 6 slices of chopped bacon, bleu cheese, garlic, cilantro, Worcestershire, and salt & pepper, mixing with gloved hands to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Form 2.5-3.5 ounce balls of meat, pressing them down in your palm to form small patties. You should end up with 6-8 patties, depending on how thick you made them.
- Grill patties to desired doneness; I usually cook mine to medium, but go as little or as long as you’d like. In the last 2 minutes or so of grilling, top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese.
- Set patties on lightly grilled slider buns, then top with more bacon, lettuce, and tomato slices.
- In a small bowl, mix ketchup and mayonnaise. Spread a spoonful on the bottom of each top bun, and set them on top of the sliders.
- Serve with a mini bottle of your favorite Gallo wine, and enjoy!
What’s your favorite tailgating food?
Pre-Game Appetizers
- Buffalo Chicken Dip by Whole Food | Real Families
- Chicken Thigh Kabobs with Spiced Yogurt Dip by MealDiva
- Chorizo Queso Dip by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms by Casa de Crews
- Hatch Chile Deviled Eggs by Shockingly Delicious
- Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Skillet Jalapeno Popper Dip by Life Tastes Good
Game Time Mains
- Al Capone Dog by Palatable Pastime
- Bacon Bleu Cheese Sliders by The Crumby Cupcake
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Quail by Flavor Mosaic
- Brat Burger by Curious Cuisiniere
- Brie Tomato and Quinoa by Family Foodie
- Crispy Chicken Wings by Feeding Big
- Crispy Maple Hot Wings by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Melty Turkey Cheese Sliders by Feed Me, Seymour
- Sticky Sweet and Sour Baby Back Ribs by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
The Victory Celebration
- Apple Crisp in a Jar by Desserts Required
- Caramel Apple Dip by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Double Crusted Apple Pie Galette by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Grandma’s Brownies by Alida’s Kitchen
Who says you have to be at the stadium to tailgate? Here are Five Easy Tailgate Food Tips plus Football Party Recipes #SundaySupper with Gallo Family Vineyards.
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect wine to go with your tailgating snacks, Gallo Family Vineyards has a handy store locator to help! They’re also full of great tailgating ideas, which you can find right here on their blog. While you’re educating yourself, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & YouTube for wine-spiration all year long!
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Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
Cynthia @ Whole Food | Real Families says
September 20, 2015 at 6:34 amI am a blue cheese lover! So this is perfect for me!!
Nichole says
September 20, 2015 at 11:33 amI need to drive to you and have Mr. Crumby Cupcake make these for meeeeeeee
Mary Ellen says
September 20, 2015 at 12:54 pmThese burgers look delicious! I love blue cheese on a burger.
Jen says
September 20, 2015 at 7:27 pmPerfect tailgating eats! Yum!
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
September 20, 2015 at 8:59 pmGive me blue cheese in my burgers any day! These would be a huge hit with our game day crew!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
September 21, 2015 at 4:44 pmBacon + Bleu + Burger = PERFECTION. I’ll go to any home tailgating party you throw!
Cynthia L says
September 21, 2015 at 8:15 pmI love all of the puns you used. Sliders are a great tailgating food. These look so great.
susan @ the wimpy vegetarian says
September 21, 2015 at 11:44 pmMy family would love these! And I love your disappearing burgers – so, so great!
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
September 22, 2015 at 11:03 pmMmmm… These look wonderful and I love the addition of bleu cheese!
[email protected] says
September 23, 2015 at 1:25 amJust in time to plan the menu for the weekend’s tailgate party! yummm!
Constance | CosmopolitanCornbread.com says
September 25, 2015 at 8:57 amThese sliders look delicious!
Bobbi from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
September 25, 2015 at 2:32 pmDelicious AND adorable 🙂 I would love them for any game day party!
Alida says
September 25, 2015 at 4:12 pmSuch tasty sliders! Perfect for any game day party (or any time!!)