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Game day sliders built the SoCal way. Chuck roast braised until it falls apart, tossed in melted butter and Original Red, stacked on sweet Hawaiian rolls with melted cheese and a cool crunchy slaw, baked until the tops are golden. The butter and Original Red together are the whole sauce. No bottled sauce, no extra heat, just medium red heat on rich shredded beef.

Ingredients

Beef

• 3 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 4 big chunks
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup beef broth

Original Red butter sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup SoCal Original Red
• 1 clove garlic, grated

Slaw

• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• ¼ cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
• Squeeze of lime
• Pinch of salt

To build

• 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls, left connected as one slab
• 6 slices provolone or sharp cheddar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
• More SoCal Original Red for the table

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the beef chunks all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high. Sear the beef 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Add the onion and broth, cover, and braise in the oven 2½ to 3 hours until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Shred it right in the pot with two forks and toss with the onions and a few spoonfuls of the juices. Discard the rest of the liquid. (A slow cooker on high for 4 to 5 hours works the same.)
3. Raise the oven to 350°F.
4. Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the Original Red and grated garlic until smooth and glossy. Toss the shredded beef in the sauce until every piece is coated.
5. Toss the cabbage and celery with the dressing, a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of salt. Chill until you build.
6. Slice the whole slab of rolls in half horizontally without separating them. Lay the bottom half in a baking dish. Layer on half the cheese, all the beef, then the rest of the cheese. Set the top half on.
7. Brush the tops with the melted butter. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden.
8. Lift the top, pile on the slaw and blue cheese crumbles, set the top back on, and cut into 12 sliders. Keep the Original Red bottle on the table for anyone who wants more.

Tips

Braise the beef the day before. It shreds cleaner cold and reheats in the butter sauce in minutes.

Do not skip the butter. It rounds out the Original Red so the sauce clings to the beef instead of soaking the bread.

Build up to 4 hours ahead, cover, and bake right before kickoff.