From the ingredients alone, I could tell would be the most highbrow of the sliders.

The recipe called for 2 pounds of , Gruyere cheese, baby arugula, tomatoes, red onions, ketchup, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, garlic, and olive oil.

Chopping the thyme and garlic took a little time, but the recipe wasn’t difficult to follow.

I started by mixing the Dijon mustard, olive oil, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper into the meat.

Then, I formed the beef into patties and cooked them over medium-high heat.

I flipped the burgers and topped each patty with grated Gruyere, which melted nicely.

Each patty went on a toasted brioche bun with arugula, red onions, and a slice of tomato on top.

Garten’s sliders presented well, thanks to the colorful combination of veggies. They were also delicious, with sweetness from the tomato, the nutty, creamy taste of Gruyere, and a peppery bitterness from the arugula.

However, they didn’t feel like traditional cheeseburgers. It was more like eating a delightful, herbaceous, thyme-heavy meatball.

The recipe was simple enough, and I could easily imagine myself making these again. But they’re not something I’d serve at a party.

At first glance, the list of ingredients for looked overwhelming, and I could tell this recipe would undoubtedly be the most complex of the three.

The recipe, which included instructions for making red-ale onion rings and jerk ketchup to go with the sliders, called for 1 pound of ground chuck, mild cheddar, brioche buns, and a range of spices.

I noticed most of the seasonings — allspice, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red-pepper flakes, brown sugar, and thyme — were used in both the burger meat and the jerk ketchup.

To save time, I mixed 2 ½ teaspoons of each spice to make a special blend before I started.

First, I mixed my spice blend with the ketchup, lime juice, and a little salt to make the jerk ketchup. It was an excellent sauce, as it was tangy, sweet, spicy, and warm.

Then, I mixed the rest of the seasonings and some salt into the ground beef.

Jackson’s recipe said to press an indent into the center of each slider patty. I assumed this was so they wouldn’t swell up in the center while cooking, but I didn’t think it made much of a difference.

While the sliders were cooking, I also made the onion rings to go along with the burger.

Jackson’s recipe also called for grilling the rolls.

When they got toasty, I covered them with a dollop of jerk ketchup and added the patties with melted cheddar cheese, and an onion ring.

Jackson’s sliders were fantastic. The fried onion rings added crunch to the , sweet mix of jerk seasonings and ketchup.

The laborious recipe isn’t something I’d make again unless the sliders were the only thing I’d be serving. If I were to make them again, I’d try them as full-sized .

, which included instructions for a chipotle mayonnaise, was simpler and more customizable than the others.

The recipe called for mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime, black pepper, 1 to 1 ½ pounds of ground chuck, cheese slices, burger buns, pickles, and red onions.

The most complicated part of the recipe was making the chipotle mayonnaise, which wasn’t difficult.

I made the chipotle mayo by blending the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce in a food processor. When I tasted it, the flavor was smoky and spicy but not overpowering.

Then, I seasoned the ground beef with salt and pepper.

I formed the beef patties, cooked both sides on a skillet, and laid the cheese on top. The recipe said to go with your own choice of cheese, so I went with colby jack.

The recipe also recommended serving the sliders at a burger bar with pickles, red onions, and chipotle mayonnaise, so I went with all three toppings.

Flay’s burgers were phenomenal. The combination of beef, pickles, onions, and mayo created the familiar flavor of a but with a fresher, homemade feel.

The spiciness of the chipotle amplified everything, and the smoky flavor kept the sliders interesting.

Flay’s slider recipe would be perfect as a party appetizer because the chipotle mayo could easily be made beforehand.

The next time I’m craving sliders but don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen, I’ll make this recipe.