Hawaiian Beef Sliders

December 2032. Diego married Keisha on the fourteenth. The ceremony was at a small venue in Denver, not a church — Diego asked if we were okay with that and I said we were long past the age where venue determined meaning. What mattered was that he looked at her the way he looked at her, and she looked at him the way she looked at him, and when the officiant said they were married, they both laughed — not out of nervousness but out of something real and uncontainable, and I think about that laugh now whenever I think about the wedding.

Keisha is from Atlanta. Her parents flew in and her mother cried from the beginning to the end and her father shook my hand twice — once when we arrived and once when the ceremony finished — and both times it felt like an agreement, like we were telling each other without words that we'd take care of the same people. Lisa danced. I danced, badly, which Sofia documented with her phone and which will follow me for years. Marco danced well, which surprised everyone including Marco. Elena gave a toast that made everyone cry and then laugh, which is the only kind of toast worth giving.

Afterward, pulling Diego aside, I asked if they were happy. He said yes. I asked if there was anything he needed. He said no, but — he paused — he said Keisha was pregnant. Eight weeks. They hadn't announced it yet. I stood there for a second and then I hugged my son in the way I have not hugged him since he was small, tight and long and without any pretense of being composed. A grandchild. My first grandchild. I am going to make that child posole and enchiladas and tamales and every green chile thing I know, and I am going to teach that child everything Papá taught me, and everything I learned the hard way, and everything Ruben would have wanted to pass on.

After Diego’s wedding, after the dancing and the tears and the news that made me hold my son like he was five years old again, I kept thinking about all the meals ahead of us — the tamales and the posole, yes, but also the new traditions we’d build with Keisha’s family. These Hawaiian beef sliders are the kind of thing I’d pile onto a platter for a house full of people who just became one family, sweet and savory and gone before anyone thinks to count how many they’ve eaten. The best food at a celebration isn’t fussy — it’s the kind that disappears because everyone keeps reaching for one more.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 12 sliders

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 Hawaiian sweet rolls, split
6 slices Swiss cheese, halved
6 canned pineapple rings, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup baby arugula or butter lettuce
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the patties. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, teriyaki sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix gently and form into 12 small patties, slightly larger than the rolls since they’ll shrink as they cook.
Cook the beef. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through. In the last minute, top each patty with a half slice of Swiss cheese and cover to melt.
Grill the pineapple. In the same skillet, sear the pineapple half-rings for about 1–2 minutes per side until lightly caramelized. Set aside.
Toast the rolls. Brush the cut sides of the Hawaiian rolls with melted butter. Place cut-side down on the skillet and toast for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Make the spicy mayo. Stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl.
Assemble the sliders. Spread spicy mayo on the bottom half of each roll. Add a cheese-topped patty, a piece of grilled pineapple, a few red onion slices, and a pinch of arugula. Place the top bun on and secure with a toothpick if needed. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the tops.
Serve. Arrange on a platter and serve warm. These are best eaten right away while the cheese is still melted.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hawaiian Beef Sliders — A Wedding Feast Worth Passing Down