Chorizo sliders are an Independence Day appetizer with a kick

Everybody celebrates the Fourth of July differently. For many of us, the Fourth of July means friends and family, food cooked on a grill and fireworks to celebrate. But that doesn’t mean to say that you have to limit your celebration to just hot dogs, hamburgers and bratwursts. You can cook whatever you want. I say cook whatever makes your mouth happy.

I’m a first-generation Latina, and we like to celebrate Independence Day with a little spice and flair. I love a good hamburger as much as the next gal, but I want it to be big, bold and flavorful, probably the same as you. I want it to be an experience worthy of celebrating.

I had chorizo sliders for the first time at a blog conference I attended at Disney World a couple years ago. It was love at first bite. I had never even thought of the combination before, and I’m Mexican. I eat chorizo and guacamole all the time, yet I had never thought of marrying it with ground beef and making a super burger. I knew I had to have it again, and more of it. Sliders are nice as appetizers, and I know tiny food is still a bit of a rage, but when it comes to the Fourth of July, I say go big or go home.

Chorizo burgers

Ingredients

• 1 pound Spanish chorizo, casing removed and coarsely chopped
• 2 pounds ground pork or beef
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound Manchego cheese, shredded
• 2 avocados
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 large clove garlic, pasted
• A small handful fresh cilantro leaves
• About 1/2 cup light cream
• 8 hamburger rolls

Optional for topping:

• Bibb lettuce leaves
• Sliced tomatoes
• Sliced red onion

Directions

1. Turn your grill on to a medium-high heat.
2. Put chorizo in a food processor and grind into very small crumbles.
3. Place the ground chorizo and ground pork in a bowl and season with Worcestershire, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the meat mixture and combine.
4. Form 8 patties that are thinner at the center than the edges.
5. Cook the hamburgers for 2 minutes per side. Move to a lower heat and cook for an additional 3 minutes per side for medium-rare burgers. Add an additional minute for medium and 2 additional minutes per side for well done.
6. Pile the shredded Manchego cheese onto the burgers for the last minute of cook time to melt.
7. Meanwhile, place the avocados in a food processor. Add the lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and cream, and process until a smooth, mayo-like in consistency.
8. Serve burgers on rolls topped with avocado cream sauce.

If desired you can add lettuce, tomato and red onion. I prefer it with just the avocado cream sauce.

For a quick side dish that pairs perfectly with these burgers, try my recipe for elote corn casserole. It literally takes about 10 minutes and is very easy.

This recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray’s chorizo sliders recipe.