It Don't Come Easy - BBQ Sliders

The Cat of Clyde Avenue

Wednesday, Day 36 - So here I am back at Florida Radiology at a ridiculously early cow-milking hour, for an MRI.  It was not, as MRIs go, uncomfortable in the least, thanks to that Valium my surgeon suggested I take prior, and the fact that for this test, I got to lie face down.  The girls, who would otherwise have been unbearably squashed, were suitably accommodated.  I think they enjoyed the "airing" so to speak.   If that has been too much information, I apologize, but not much.

Let's "Ringo" in the day with a little tune:

Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues,

And you know it don't come easy.

You don't have to shout or leap about,

You can even play them easy.
Forget about the past and all your sorrows,

The future won't last,

It will soon be over tomorrow.

I don't ask for much, I only want your trust,

And you know it don't come easy.

And this love of mine keeps growing all the time,

And you know it just ain't easy.

As you know, eating "don't come easy" to me.  Most of that is attributed to the gastric bypass surgery I had in 2003, while the rest is a toothy issue - like in, I don't have any.  I was never blessed with good strong teeth, despite those yearly childhood visits to the dentist, and they only got worse over the years, so here we are.  Eating with dentures don't come easy either, and when I am home en famille, I forego the damn things. They not only hurt, but they interfere with my ability to taste.

I have learned the hard way that I have to eat small - small portions and very small pieces of food.  Texture makes a big difference as well, especially when I'm imitating Granny Clampett.  But that doesn't stop me from occasionally craving fried food or real pit barbecue or a Big Mac, hold the lettuce, and sometimes I've just got to give in.  

I'd had a mad yen for the burnt ends from Jimmy Bear's BBQ in St. Cloud, but tax season got in the way.  As soon as it was over, however, and while I was at one of my interminable trips to a doctor, my darling husband zipped down the highway to heaven and picked up a pound, along with a slab of ribs and some fried pickles.  

Of course there were leftovers, and I find leftovers of any sort to be difficult to swallow, literally.  But these burnt ends were so good, I knew I just had to find a way to enjoy them again ... and again.  So I repurposed them - repurposing being the New Millenium term for "making good use of leftovers."  I made the cutest little sliders out of them, keeping in mind my need for soft textures and tiny bits.  These are really so good, you do not need to be a post-operative gastric bypass patient to enjoy them. In fact, you can make a whole tray of these as snack food during the NBA play-offs or for your ladies' book club meeting.  That being said, I was able to finish one.  Just one, and it was marvelous.

Leftover barbecue burnt ends from Jimmy Bear's Barbecue, chopped pretty fine, with the layer of fat
onion, chopped
olive oil or canola oil
really good quality barbecue sauce from Four Rivers Barbecue

To serve:
1-15 oz. bag Martin's Party Potato Rolls (24 to a package)
1-8oz. jar Mt. Olive Dill Relish

On the side:
Tabbouleh from Whole Foods

I can't really give you precise amounts, because it depends how many of the burnt ends are left over.  I like a lot of onions, and they cook down anyway, but your mileage may vary.  This recipe is all about self-detrmination, so you will have to determine for yourself the ratio of beef to onion.

Cook the onions in some oil until the onions begin to brown.  Add the chopped beef and its fat (there is some serious flavor in that fat, so don't discard it) and cook together until the fat has melted and the beef is heated through.  Stir in the barbecue sauce and let everything simmer together until the beef is very tender.  If you can stand it, refrigerate overnight so the flavors can happily consummate their marriage.

Next day - take the chill off the beef mixture, but don't over heat.  Cut a roll in half, and pile on the beef.  Top with some of the relish.  Finally, make it into a real sandwich, stick a frilled toothpick down the middle, and take a picture.  Consume with one swallow or a dozen dainty bites.  Anyway you want it ...

I recommended specific pickle relish as well as the taboulleh because each is very finely chopped, making them perfect for me.  If you like chunky relish, or even a slice of pickle, be my guest.  Go ahead and enjoy a real green salad or a bowl of homemade coleslaw - both will go really well with the slider.  Get crazy and put the coleslaw on the sandwich!