Smoked baconnaise sliders are ground beef formed into a single rectangular sheet, smoked at 225°F on a wire rack for 60 to 75 minutes until it reaches 140°F to 145°F internal temperature, then assembled on connected Hawaiian rolls with homemade bacon mayonnaise, caramelized onions, and cheese. You finish the assembled sliders at 325°F to 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese melts and tops turn golden. The wire rack allows smoke to penetrate both sides of the beef sheet. This creates bark on top and bottom.

The baconnaise combines 1 cup mayonnaise with ¾ cup finely chopped cooked bacon, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. The bacon pieces add smoky, salty crunch. The mayo creates creamy base. You make it ahead and refrigerate. The caramelized onions cook in cast iron on the smoker at 275°F to 300°F for 45 to 60 minutes. You stir them every 10 to 15 minutes until jammy and sweet.

These Hawaiian roll sliders take about 2 hours total including smoking the beef sheet, caramelizing onions, and finishing the assembled sliders. The innovative beef sheet method creates uniform portions. Each slider gets equal beef distribution. You cut them after baking rather than forming individual patties. This saves time and creates cleaner presentation. Perfect for parties, game day, and gatherings where you need impressive sliders that feed a crowd.

Why the Wire Rack Method Creates Superior Smoked Sliders

The wire rack method produces better smoked baconnaise sliders because it allows smoke circulation around the entire beef sheet. When you place meat directly on smoker grates, the bottom surface makes contact with metal. This contact point doesn’t get smoke exposure. It steams rather than smokes. The bottom becomes pale and soggy instead of developing bark.

Elevating the beef sheet on a wire rack solves this problem completely. Smoke flows underneath and around the meat. Both surfaces get equal exposure. You develop bark on top and bottom. The entire beef sheet tastes smoked rather than just the top surface. This makes significant difference in flavor intensity.

The rack also promotes better heat circulation. Direct grate contact creates hot spots where the meat touches metal. These spots can overcook while other areas stay undercooked. The rack creates air gap between meat and heat source. Heat distributes more evenly. You get consistent doneness throughout the beef sheet.

Drippings fall through the rack into a pan below rather than pooling around the meat. This prevents steaming. When beef sits in its own juices, it braises instead of smokes. The texture becomes soft rather than crusty. The rack keeps the meat elevated above drippings. You maintain dry-heat cooking environment essential for bark formation.

The wire rack also makes transferring the beef sheet easier. Sliding a spatula under a large, thin sheet of ground beef is challenging. The meat can tear or fold. With the rack method, you transport the entire rack. The beef stays supported and intact. You minimize handling and reduce breaking risk.

Some pitmasters worry about the beef sticking to the rack. Light oil spray prevents this. Spray the rack before placing the beef sheet on it. The small amount of oil doesn’t affect smoke flavor. It creates non-stick surface. The beef releases cleanly when cooked.

The rack method works for various meats beyond sliders. Bacon, thin pork chops, chicken thighs, and fish fillets all benefit. Any thin cut that traditionally struggles with soggy bottoms improves dramatically. The wire rack is simple tool that elevates smoking technique significantly.

How Baconnaise Elevates Standard Slider Sauce

Baconnaise creates more complex flavor than plain mayonnaise or even bacon bits added separately. Chopping cooked bacon finely and mixing it into mayo distributes bacon flavor evenly throughout the spread. Every bite of slider gets bacon essence. Separate bacon pieces create uneven distribution. Some bites have lots of bacon. Others have none.

The bacon fat from the chopped bacon enriches the mayo. As you chop warm bacon, small amounts of rendered fat incorporate into the mayo. This bacon fat carries intense pork flavor. It also makes the mayo slightly thinner and more spreadable. Plain mayo can be thick and hard to distribute evenly. Baconnaise spreads smoothly.

The Dijon mustard in baconnaise adds sharp, tangy note that cuts through richness. Mayo and bacon are both fatty components. Without acid or sharpness, they taste one-dimensionally rich. Dijon provides necessary contrast. It also adds sophisticated flavor beyond yellow mustard’s simple tang.

Worcestershire sauce contributes umami depth and complexity. The sauce contains anchovies, tamarind, vinegar, and spices. These create savory background notes. Baconnaise tastes more sophisticated than bacon-mayo alone. The Worcestershire prevents it from tasting like a one-note condiment.

Black pepper provides subtle heat and aromatic quality. Freshly ground black pepper has more impact than pre-ground. The peppercorns’ essential oils remain potent when freshly cracked. This creates noticeable pepper flavor that enhances rather than overpowers.

Optional pickle juice brightens the baconnaise significantly. Just a splash (1 to 2 teaspoons) adds vinegar tang and dill flavor. This prevents the spread from tasting heavy. Pickle juice also thins the consistency slightly. The baconnaise spreads more easily on rolls.

Making baconnaise ahead allows flavors to meld. The bacon pieces hydrate slightly in the mayo. The seasonings distribute evenly. Fresh baconnaise tastes good. Day-old baconnaise from the refrigerator tastes better. Make it a day ahead for parties. The extra development time pays off in flavor.

Why Caramelizing Onions on the Smoker Adds Extra Dimension

Caramelizing onions on the smoker instead of the stovetop infuses them with smoke flavor while they cook. Standard caramelized onions taste sweet and rich. Smoked caramelized onions taste sweet, rich, and smoky. This triple threat of flavors makes them more complex and interesting. They complement smoked beef better than stovetop versions.

The cast iron skillet on the smoker provides consistent heat similar to stovetop cooking. Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly. The onions cook gradually in butter and olive oil. The fat prevents sticking and adds richness. The smoker’s ambient temperature (275°F to 300°F) is perfect for caramelization without burning.

Stirring every 10 to 15 minutes prevents burning while allowing proper browning. The onions release moisture as they cook. This moisture evaporates. The natural sugars concentrate and caramelize. The stirring redistributes the onions so all pieces caramelize evenly. It also scrapes up fond (browned bits) from the pan bottom and incorporates them.

The 45 to 60 minute cooking time transforms sharp, pungent raw onions into sweet, jammy spread. The onions break down completely. They become soft and spreadable. The color changes from white to deep golden brown. The flavor mellows dramatically. The sharp bite disappears. Sweet, complex flavors emerge.

Using yellow onions works best for caramelizing. Yellow onions have good sugar content and balanced flavor. Sweet onions like Vidalia caramelize well but can be too sweet. Red onions work but have sharper flavor even when caramelized. White onions are acceptable but less flavorful. Yellow onions are the reliable choice.

The butter and olive oil combination provides ideal fat profile. Butter adds rich flavor and helps browning. Olive oil prevents the butter from burning. Butter alone can scorch at smoker temperatures. Oil alone lacks butter’s flavor contribution. The combination delivers best results.

Salting the onions at the start draws out moisture. This helps them cook down faster. Salt also seasons them throughout rather than just on the surface. The pinch of salt is minimal. The onions will get additional seasoning from the overall slider but the initial salt is important.

What Makes 80/20 Ground Beef Essential for Slider Sheets

80/20 ground beef is essential for beef sheet sliders because the fat content prevents drying during extended smoking. Lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7) lacks sufficient fat. When formed into thin sheets and smoked for 60+ minutes, lean beef becomes dry and crumbly. The 20% fat in 80/20 beef keeps the meat juicy even when cooked to 160°F internal temperature.

The fat also creates better texture for slider sheets. As the beef smokes, fat renders gradually. It bastes the meat from inside. This creates tender, moist beef rather than dense, dry patties. The rendered fat also contributes to bark formation on the surface. Fat-rich surfaces develop better crust than lean surfaces.

Ground beef sheets are more prone to drying than thick burgers. A ¾-inch thick sheet has more surface area relative to volume than a 1-inch thick burger patty. More surface area means more moisture exposure and evaporation. The higher fat content compensates for this increased drying potential.

The 80/20 ratio also provides optimal flavor. Fat carries and concentrates beefy taste. Lean ground beef tastes less intensely “beefy.” Even with smoke, seasoning, and toppings, lean beef sliders taste somewhat flat. The fat in 80/20 beef creates rich, satisfying flavor that makes these sliders craveable.

Binding is another consideration. When you press ground beef into a sheet, you need it to hold together. Fat acts as natural binder. It helps the beef particles stick. Lean beef is more crumbly and can fall apart when transferred or flipped. The 80/20 blend stays cohesive.

Some people worry about grease with 80/20 beef. The wire rack addresses this. Rendered fat drips through the rack into the pan below. The beef doesn’t sit in grease. You get the benefits of fat (flavor, moisture, texture) without the downside (greasy finished product).

Standard ground chuck is typically 80/20 and widely available. You don’t need premium or specially ground beef. Regular supermarket ground chuck produces excellent results. This makes the recipe accessible and affordable for feeding groups.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Caramelize the Onions on the Smoker

Preheat your smoker to 275°F to 300°F. Place a large cast iron skillet directly on the smoker grates. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the cold skillet. Let them melt as the skillet heats.

Add 3 thinly sliced yellow onions to the skillet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the onions in the butter-oil mixture. Spread them evenly in the skillet.

Close the smoker lid and cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. The onions will gradually soften, brown, and reduce in volume. They’re done when jammy, sweet, and deep golden brown.

Remove the skillet from the smoker and set aside. The onions can sit at room temperature while you smoke the beef. If making ahead, refrigerate them for up to 3 days.

Step 2: Make the Baconnaise

Cook ¾ cup bacon (about 6 to 8 slices) until very crispy. Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly. Chop the bacon very finely. You want small pieces, not large chunks.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, the finely chopped bacon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add a splash of pickle juice if using (1 to 2 teaspoons).

Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed. The bacon should be suspended throughout the mayo rather than clumped. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble. The baconnaise improves with time. Make it several hours ahead or even the day before for best flavor.

Step 3: Form the Beef Sheet

Place a large piece of parchment paper on your counter. The paper should be slightly larger than your connected Hawaiian rolls.

Place 2 pounds of 80/20 ground beef on the parchment. Using your hands, gently press and shape the beef into a rectangle roughly the same dimensions as your connected Hawaiian rolls (about 9×13 inches). The beef should be about ¾ inch thick.

Don’t pack the meat tightly. Use light pressure to form the shape. Overworking creates dense, tough texture. Loose packing creates tender, juicy sliders.

Season both sides of the beef sheet generously with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika if using.

Optional: refrigerate the formed, seasoned beef sheet for 20 minutes. This firms it up slightly and makes transferring easier. This step isn’t required but helps prevent cracking.

Step 4: Transfer to Wire Rack

Spray a large wire cooling rack lightly with cooking oil. This prevents sticking. Place the rack over a rimmed baking sheet for transport.

Carefully slide the beef sheet from the parchment onto the oiled wire rack. Use the parchment to help transfer if needed. Position the beef in the center of the rack with space around all edges.

For extra insurance against sticking, you can leave the parchment under the beef for the first 30 minutes of smoking. After 30 minutes, carefully peel it away. The beef will have firmed up enough to release from the parchment.

Step 5: Smoke the Beef Sheet

Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Use hickory, pecan, or apple wood. Hickory provides classic BBQ smoke. Pecan adds nutty sweetness. Apple is milder and fruity.

Place the wire rack (with beef sheet) directly on the smoker grates. Position it away from direct heat if using an offset smoker. Close the lid.

Smoke for 60 to 75 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 140°F to 145°F. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part to check. The beef should have developed visible bark on both top and bottom.

Optional: flip the beef sheet once at the 40-minute mark for even bark development. Use two large spatulas to flip carefully. This step is optional. The wire rack method creates good bark on both sides without flipping.

When the beef reaches 140°F to 145°F, remove it from the smoker (leave it on the rack). It will continue to cook during the finishing phase.

Step 6: Prepare the Hawaiian Rolls

While the beef smokes, prepare the rolls. Using a large serrated knife, slice the entire package of connected Hawaiian rolls horizontally. Keep all 12 rolls connected. You’ll have one large bottom layer and one large top layer.

Place the bottom layer of rolls in a 9×13-inch disposable aluminum foil pan or baking dish. Brush the cut side lightly with some of the melted butter (about 2 tablespoons).

Set aside the top layer. You’ll add it after assembly.

Step 7: Assemble the Sliders

Carefully transfer the smoked beef sheet from the wire rack onto the bottom layer of Hawaiian rolls. It should fit almost perfectly. If the beef sheet is slightly larger, trim the edges. If slightly smaller, don’t worry. Close enough works.

Layer 8 to 10 slices of American cheese over the beef. You want full coverage. Overlap slightly if needed. The cheese will melt and fill gaps.

Spread the caramelized onions evenly over the cheese. Use all the onions. Every slider should get some.

Spread the baconnaise evenly over the onions. Use about ¾ of the baconnaise. Reserve the remaining ¼ for serving on the side if desired.

Place the top layer of Hawaiian rolls over the baconnaise. Press down gently to compress slightly.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining melted butter (about 4 tablespoons). Sprinkle with BBQ rub or everything bagel seasoning.

Step 8: Smoke-Finish the Assembled Sliders

Increase the smoker temperature to 325°F to 350°F. Give it 10 minutes to come up to temperature.

Cover the pan of assembled sliders loosely with aluminum foil. Don’t let the foil touch the tops. Place the covered pan on the smoker.

Cook for 15 minutes covered. This heats everything through and starts melting the cheese without browning the tops too quickly.

Remove the foil. Continue cooking uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. The cheese should be fully melted and bubbly. The roll tops should be golden brown. The beef should reach 160°F internal temperature for food safety.

Watch carefully during the uncovered phase. The buttered, seasoned tops can brown quickly. If they’re getting too dark, reduce temperature slightly or re-cover with foil.

Step 9: Rest, Slice, and Serve

Remove the sliders from the smoker when the tops are golden and cheese is melted. Let them rest in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes. This allows the cheese to set slightly. The sliders will be easier to cut and less likely to fall apart.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut between the rolls to create 12 individual sliders. The beef sheet will cut cleanly if you let it rest properly.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra baconnaise on the side for dipping if desired. These smoked baconnaise sliders are best eaten within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing for maximum texture and temperature.