9 Slider Recipes To Own Your NFL Playoff And Super Bowl Party

We're sure many of you are planning to watch some football over the next few weekends (what up, Pro Bowl!), hopefully with a solid craft beer in one hand and a tortilla chip covered with something involving cheese and bacon in the other. But let us suggest making a batch of what is probably the most party-perfect foodstuff around — the slider. Compact, satisfying and filled with interesting things beyond the ground chuck burger patty, a plate of sliders often turns int0 an empty plate of sliders before the first drive is over. Also, you can have yourself a slider-eating competition.

More football food ideas on Food Republic:

These meatball sliders are as easy to make as sculpting orbs of meat gets, they're easy to make a ton of, and we guarantee that every meat-lover out there will plow through half a dozen before admitting defeat.

Nowadays, I don't know anyone who does not love sliders — and everyone enjoys my special twist to the All-American classic. I guarantee that if you make these little guys, you will have an empty platter every time! Ask your butcher to slice the steak and grind rib-eye scraps to make the ground beef.

Make your own poppy seed buns to top off the perfect meaty slider. (Photo: Kate Glicksberg.)

No one can deny a slider. You can put anything in a shiny little brioche bun and people will be impressed and in awe of your talents (trust me). Luckily, this version also happens to be delicious. Braising the pork takes time, but all the components can be made a day ahead and the time will be well-spent.

We say it all the time: It's not a party spread until the mini cheeseburgers hit the table. This is no recipe for your typical chain restaurant's sliders, however. These are Wolfgang Puck's Oscar-worthy mini cheeseburgers. It's not hard to see why he's chef to the stars. 

In light of recent events that made everyone's favorite fried chicken sandwich a little bit tougher to swallow, we decided to fry up a version of our own. The buttered bun and pickles are crucial to this sandwich, but without a doubt, the thing that makes this little guy so delicious is the chicken. 

Nothing inspires as much hope in the future of humanity as a platter piled high with simple, perfect sliders. Fear not the oyster, for it is easily shucked dredging is a lot easier and less messy than breading and slider construction might as well be arts and crafts.

The sloppy joe is all grown up.

These sliders are good for any time of the day.