Ham and cheese sliders for 12: 24 sweet rolls filled with ham and Swiss, soaked overnight in poppy seed butter and baked in foil pans on the grill. Build them the night before in about 20 minutes, then give them about 30 minutes on the grill with the lid down at the lot.
Feeds: 12 (24 sliders) · Hands-on: about 20 min · Total: about 1 hour, plus a night in the fridge
Home gear: 2 foil pans (9 × 13 in.), foil, and a long serrated knife
Pack for the lot
- Both pans of sliders, covered, in the cooler
- 2 extra foil pans, to nest under the full ones
- Instant-read thermometer
- Spatula or tongs
- Heat-proof gloves or oven mitts
- Napkins
- Charcoal and a chimney starter, or a full propane tank
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- Fuel: charcoal or propane both work. The sliders need a cool side and a closed lid, which turns the grill into an oven. If both pans don't fit on the cool side, bake one at a time.
- Holding them hot: keep the second pan covered on the cool side with the lid down so it holds at 140°F or above. Off the heat, wrap the pan in towels and set it in an empty cooler, and eat it within 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's over 90°F.
- Cold until they're on the grill: the pans ride in the cooler at 40°F or below until they go on the heat.
- Cleanup: the foil pans go straight in the trash bag once they cool.
Can you make ham and cheese sliders the night before?
Yes, and they're better for it. Build them, pour on the butter, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake them on the grill or in the oven until the center reaches 165°F.
How do you keep sliders warm at a tailgate?
Leave them covered in the foil pan on the cool side of the grill with the lid down. Off the grill, wrap the pan in towels inside an empty cooler and serve within 2 hours.
How many ham and cheese sliders do you need for 20 people?
Plan on 2 each, so 40. Double the recipe: 4 packages of rolls, 3 lb of ham, 24 slices of Swiss and a double batch of poppy seed butter. That makes 48 sliders in 4 pans, so there are a few seconds.
Can you bake sliders on a grill?
Yes. Set the grill up for indirect heat at about 350°F, put the covered pan on the side with no fire under it, and close the lid. Nesting the pan in a second foil pan keeps the bottoms from burning.