Hamburger Sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own.

Fire up the grill this summer and make a twist on a classic: Beef Sliders with homemade Bacon Cherry Compote! Juicy all-natural USDA Choice beef burgers are topped with a smoky-sweet-tart compote to make the ultimate summertime entertaining finger food! Makes 12 sliders.

Hamburger sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote sit on a white platter before serving

Since it’s the summertime, we’ve been firing up our grill recently and having a blast cooking all of our favorite foods.

Which is why I’m so excited to share this new recipe with y’all today—because my friends at Sprouts Farmers Market reached out and challenged me to make a summertime grilled finger food that incorporated fresh stone fruit, like cherries.

Obviously, challenge accepted.

And my brain went in the direction of hamburger sliders (because they’re the ultimate finger food) with a Cherry Compote… chock full of the sweet-tart stone fruit and the smokiness of bacon.

When I tell you that these little sliders are the ultimate kind of summer entertaining finger food, please believe me. I’ll be making them from here to eternity because they hit so many levels of savory, sweet, salty and smoky.

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    More summertime grilling recipes: Cheeseburger Kebabs | Sauerkraut Burgers | Classic Salmon Burgers | Grilled Zucchini Rollatini

    Ingredients for Hamburger Sliders from above on a marble surface

    What you’ll need to make Hamburger Sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote

    The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

    In addition to these tools, I grabbed all the ingredients for this recipe at Sprouts and chose to highlight all-natural USDA Choice ground beef because a ground beef slider is the kind of slider I adore.

    I’ve been a Sprouts fan for years because I love their affordable prices and their awesome products. (HI. Their Hawaiian rolls are a part of this recipe for a reason. They’re SO fluffy and perfect when paired with a savory slider like this one.)

    I highly suggest you visit your neighborhood Sprouts to gather the ingredients for this recipe, too!

    How to make Bacon Cherry Compote

    First and foremost, pit and seed the cherries. You can use a cherry pitter if you have one, though you can also run a knife around the equator of the cherry to half it before popping the pit out. Set ‘em aside.

    Chop the bacon into a fine dice, and chop the onion, too.

    In a saucepan over medium-high heat, get the onion and bacon cooking. Stir ‘em regularly until the bacon crisps up and the onions begin caramelizing. This should take around 10 minutes.

    Next, add the balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar. Stir ‘em into the mixture, letting the vinegar deglaze the plan. This step will take 2-3 minutes, tops.

    After that, you’ll measure in the halved cherries, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook them for an additional 15-20 minutes, uncovered, or until the cherries are soft and the juices have boiled off, leaving a thick and luscious compote.

    How to Make Hamburger Sliders

    Preheat your grill before you make the slider patties.

    In a glass bowl, measure out the ground beef, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Use your hands to massage them together until the ingredients are incorporated.

    Using your hands, roll the sliders into 2 ½ oz. balls, and then press into patties. We used our kitchen scale to accurately weigh these hamburger sliders, but if you want to eyeball yours, be my guest! Ours were ¾” tall and 3” across when we flattened them out into a patty.

    Repeat the process until all the slider patties have been made, and place them all on a plate that you can easily take outside to the grill. (We cut individual pieces of wax paper to separate ours for easy placement on the grill, but truly, you don’t have to do this.)

    When the grill has reached the optimal temperature, place the hamburgers onto the grates. Grill the first side for 5 minutes and the second side for 2 minutes, and then remove from the grill.

    Please note that you can always adjust the cooking time based on what doneness you want for your burgers. Since these are sliders and we were feeding our kids, we wanted them to be more on the well-done side.

    Turn off the grill, and place the Hawaiian buns on the top rack. Let them toast in the ambient heat for 5 minutes.

    Serve the Hamburger Sliders

    Place the slider patties onto the grilled buns.

    Add a dollop of the Bacon Cherry Compote.

    Add the bun’s top and enjoy immediately.

    A small jar of compote sits on a white platter next to sliders

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    Hamburger sliders are an incredible and delicious finger food for summertime entertaining. And when you add this Bacon Cherry Compote, guests and hosts are in for a treat because these are truly something special!

    Here are a few tips and tricks for making these beauties for any entertaining event this summer. Also, these would be an amazing meal on Father’s Day or for any patriotic holiday.

    • Double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
    • Don’t have a grill? Make the hamburger sliders on the stovetop on a griddle or in a cast iron skillet.
    • Form your hamburger patties in advance so all you have to do when guests arrive is to grill them! Keep ‘em cool in the fridge until it’s grilling time.
    • Make the bacon cherry compote in advance. This goodness keeps in the fridge for up to a week, so make it and keep it cool.
    A man holds a slider between his hands with a white platter of other sliders in the background

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What’s the difference between a slider and a burger?

    Sliders are essentially miniature hamburgers.

    How big should slider patties be?

    Your slider patties can be as big or little as you like. Ours ended up being ¾” tall and 3” across after we flattened them out and before we grilled them.

    What buns do you use for sliders?

    Personally, I love Hawaiian dinner rolls (like the ones I got from Sprouts in these photos) because they have a nice sweetness to them and come in a pack. Easy peasy!

    Can I use frozen cherries if I don’t have fresh ones?

    I think part of the beauty of these sliders is the fresh cherry compote, but if you can’t find fresh cherries (or they’re out of season), you could absolutely use frozen cherries. Just be sure that they’re thawed so they cook up a little faster.

    Close up looking into a jar of Bacon Cherry Compote from above on a grey and white striped towel

    What are some other recipes I can pair with these sliders?

    I would pair these sliders with No Mayo Potato Salad or Grilled Shishito Peppers because they both play nicely with the red meat.

    I’d serve it with a class of Cherry Lemon Tea or even an Arnold Palmer mocktail.

    Quick tips for making Hamburger Sliders and Bacon Cherry Compote

    • Make these homemade sliders gluten free by serving them on gluten free slider buns. (Read the ingredients to confirm your Worcestershire sauce is GF, too!)
    • Store your leftovers separately—meaning the buns, hamburger sliders and compote should all have their own food-safe containers in the refrigerator. They’ll easily last 2-3 days.
    • If you want to get out ahead of this recipe, make the Bacon Cherry Compote 1-2 days beforehand, and store it in the fridge.

    Other burger and slider recipes to try:

    You can’t go wrong with these classic Pan Fried Hamburgers, especially if you can’t or won’t fire up the grill.

    If you love seafood, these Classic Salmon Burgers are a delight!

    Our entire family loves these Louisiana Cajun Turkey Burgers with Étouffée Relish and Creamy Cajun Sauce.

    If you dig sliders, let me recommend trying saucy Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Red Wine Reduction Sauce and spicy Smoked Sausage Jalapeno Sliders.

    Just want to make these? Scroll on down for the recipe…

    Hamburger sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote sit on a white platter before serving

    Grilled Hamburger Sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Fire up the grill this summer and make a twist on a classic: Beef Sliders with homemade Bacon Cherry Compote! Juicy USDA choice beef burgers are topped with a smoky-sweet-tart compote to make the ultimate summertime entertaining finger food!
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Servings 12 sliders
    Calories 396 kcal
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Chilling Time 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    Classic Slider Burgers

    • 2 lbs. 85/20 ground beef
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground if possible
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 12 Sprouts Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls or 12 slider burger buns

    Bacon Cherry Compote (Makes 1 ¼ cups)

    • 1 lb. fresh cherries
    • 3 slices bacon diced
    • ½ onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    • Make the Compote
    • Pit and seed the cherries. Cut them in half.
    • Chop the bacon into a fine dice, and chop the onion, too.
    • Place the onion and bacon in saucepan over medium high heat. Stir regularly, mixing the ingredients, until the bacon crisps up and the onions begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
    • Add the balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar. Stir until incorporated and the vinegar has deglazed the pan, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Measure in the halved cherries, and lower the heat to medium-low.
      Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, uncovered, or until the cherries are soft and the juices have boiled off, leaving a thick and luscious compote.
    • Transfer to a glass jar or another food storage container, and chill in the fridge. While you can enjoy the compote hot, we found that it holds together better once it’s been refrigerated for 1-2 hours.
    • Make and Cook the Burgers
    • Preheat the grill to 600F. This may take a few minutes, so I fire mine up before I form the slider patties.
    • Place the ground beef, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl together. Using your hands, massage them together until incorporated.
    • Roll burgers into 2 ½ oz. balls, and then press into patties. (Ours were ¾” tall and 3” across.)
    • Repeat the process until all the slider patties have been made, and place them all on a plate that you can easily take outside to the grill.
    • Place the burgers onto the hot grill. Grill the first side for 5 minutes and the second side for 2 minutes, then remove from the grill. (You can always adjust the cooking time based on what doneness you want for your burgers. Since these are sliders and we were feeding our kids, we wanted them to be more on the well-done side.)
    • Turn off the grill, and place the Hawaiian buns on the top rack. Let cook in the ambient heat for 5 minutes, or until they get a little color.
    • Serve the Sliders
    • Place the slider patties onto the grilled buns.
    • Add a dollop of the Bacon Cherry Compote.
    • Add the bun’s top and enjoy immediately.

    Notes

    Please note the total cook time is for the combined compote and burgers. The sliders WILL NOT cook for 40 minutes on the grill.
    How big should slider patties be?

    Your slider patties can be as big or little as you like. Ours ended up being ¾” tall and 3” across after we flattened them out and before we grilled them.
    Can I use frozen cherries if I don’t have fresh ones?
    I think part of the beauty of these sliders is the fresh cherry compote, but if you can’t find fresh cherries (or they’re out of season), you could absolutely use frozen cherries. Just be sure that they’re thawed so they cook up a little faster.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 25gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 858mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11g
    Keyword beef, cherry, entree, finger food, grilled, grilling
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    4.50 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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