White Castle vs. Ground Turkey Sliders
For several years in my mid-to-late teens, I was obsessed with White Castle. There was no local branch of the fast-food chain near my neighborhood, so at a very young age, I was ignorant of its considerable charm.
My initiation was with friends from summer camp. I don’t exactly remember my first White Castle burger, but it was certainly the first time I heard the term “slider.” Paul, who grew up in North Jersey, where these “restaurants” were plentiful, used the name. In the early 80s and before, the word was used specifically for the small square burgers from White Castle with squishy buns, steamed on a bed of onions, that you could eat in one or two bites. I always assumed Paul came up with the name himself, referencing the ease with which they slid right down your throat, and I gathered the ease with which they slid right out the other side a few hours later. A quick internet investigation indicates the former is the most likely source, with no mention of the latter, and Paul was not its originator.
As my travels expanded from my local neighborhood, encounters with White Castle increased. I ate them whenever I could. Four or five little burgers arriving in their carboard sleeves ensuring the delicate sliders never got crushed, with fries and onion chips on the side.
At the time I had a girlfriend from outside of Chicago, whose mother loved my obsession with White Castle. She grew up in North Jersey and ate them in her youth. I guess my passion brought back memories. Every time I visited, there was a sack of 10 in the freezer, ready to be reheated. They weren’t fresh, but I appreciated her effort.
My fixation with White Castle continued into college. There was no local branch in Richmond, Indiana where I went to school, so if a craving developed, my college friends and I had to travel. It wasn’t often, but occasionally we would make the 90- to 100-mile round trip across state lines to Dayton, Ohio. And we would always make a quick detour if we had to pick someone up in Dayton, at the nearest airport. Prior to departure we would poll our friends, take orders, and collect money, delivering the goods, greasy and room temperature, upon our return. It doesn’t seem at all appetizing today, but it provided immense satisfaction in my college years.
After college, I basically stopped eating White Castles, and I probably haven’t had one in more than 35 years. But that doesn’t mean I don’t eat sliders – in the modern sense of the term – from time to time. For slider now refers to any one or two bite sandwich, be it burger, pulled pork, pork belly, or even banh mi. Available at practically any restaurant as an appetizer or during happy hour they are ubiquitous and easy to share. And while quite different from the White Castle sliders of my teenage years, their diversity and quality usually make them far more interesting.
Ground Turkey Sliders
While ground turkey sliders are very different from the White Castle originals, they make for an excellent snack or meal. Turkey burgers don’t have the same meaty, fatty bite as a medium-rare hamburger, but then who would want to eat anything but fully cooked poultry. And if properly made and seasoned, turkey wins out over ground beef in a couple of important ways. For one it is healthier, as we should all probably reduce our red meat consumption. In addition, its environmental footprint is significantly smaller, the raising, processing, and transporting of beef releasing significantly more greenhouse gases than turkey. Served with appropriate toppings, these ground turkey sliders easily match any made from ground beef.
makes 8 sliders, 30 minutes
1 lb. ground turkey, preferably not extra lean or all white meat
1 egg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ tsp. garlic powder or granulated garlic
½ tsp. onion powder or granulated onion
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
cooking oil spray
8 approximately 3-inch slider buns, such as brioche dinner rolls, King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, or Martin’s potato rolls
8 slices American or other cheese, optional
ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, or other toppings as desired
- Preheat broiler and move top rack 3 to 4 inches from the upper heating element. Cover a sheet pan in with aluminum foil.
- Place turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together just until fully combined. Divide into eight equal portions and roll each into a ball.
- Lightly wet your hands and use them to flatten and shape each portion into a ¼-inch thick patty, about 3 inches in diameter. Place in a single layer on the foil-covered sheet pan. Repeat with each ball of ground turkey, wetting your hands again if the turkey sticks. When done, use your thumb to make a deep indent in the center of each patty. They will swell in the center when cooked, and this keeps them relatively flat. Cover with a light spray of cooking oil.
- Place on the top rack under the broiler and cook, checking frequently, until the tops are a deep golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and using tongs, flip each patty. Place back under the broiler and cook for a few more minutes – watching carefully – until golden.
- Place cheese folded to the correct size on each patty, if using, and place back in the oven until cheese is melted.
- Serve on buns with toppings of your choice.
Max – even though I went to college in north Jersey, I’ve never had a White Castle burger. Seems like I may not have missed much. In my college days we made late night runs into NYC’s Chinatown!