Trader Joe’s Angus Cheeseburger Sliders

March 5, 2008 | Reviewer: Abi

Trader Joe’s Angus Cheeseburger Sliders Price: $4.59 (spendy!)
Serving: 2 sliders, 3.5oz.
Servings per Package: 2
Calories: 260
Fat: 15%, 10g
Cholesterol: 17%, 70mg
Sodium: 19%, 450mg
Protein: 16g
Carbohydrates: 8%, 25g
Fiber: 4%, 1g
Sugar: 2g
Weight Watchers Points: 6 Points

Trader Joe says: Beefy goodness

Abi says: When I pulled these out of my Trader Joe’s shopping bag, my fiance, a man who has been known to eat burnt cookies, $1.00 pizzas and mushrooms, looked at them with both disdain and disgust.

“Hey,” I said “these will either be awesome or they will be horrible. So I have to try them.”

He verbally agreed, shrugged and left me to the rest of my unpacking because our freezer is now like a game of Tetris and I’m the only one who really knows how to play (which is actually not true, my mom rocks at Tetris. It is scary how good she is.).

These hamburgers were neither super nor bad nor superbad. They were exactly what I’d expect from a microwaved slider. Each was smaller in diameter yet thicker than a KFC Chicken Little. The bun was incredibly soft and peppered with sesame seeds, which made me realize that I dislike sesame seeds on buns. They get everywhere: teeth, carpet, in your bra - I am not kidding about the bra thing.

The next layer in the slider is the cheese. If there’s something that Trader Joe’s is going to get right, it is cheese. Each mini burger was topped with a square of yellow cheddar and each square of cheddar melted perfectly. It didn’t taste like much, but it looked really nice.

And the meat part? Have you ever defrosted frozen hamburger in the microwave but forgotten to flip it and essentially cooked a pound of hamburger via magnetron? That’s how this beef tasted. It was cooked, but lacked the slight char necessary to a good burger What, you think char is not necessary? Then you have not seen people weep when the Whopper was discontinued. Each little burger patty was a hockey puck of chewiness, so springy that I briefly contemplated trying to bounce a piece of it on the kitchen floor.

Two sliders is a snack and four sliders are too many to eat in a state of sobriety. As cute as they were, I won’t be buying these again. At nearly $5.00 for four sliders, I’m better off waiting until I go to DC where I can get freshly grilled mini-burgers sandwiched between layers of buttered and grilled brioche.

comments

12 Responses to “Trader Joe’s Angus Cheeseburger Sliders”

Jessica on March 5th, 2008

Is it as good as the frozen White Castle burger? I ate those religiously for a few years after I moved out from the east coast.
Crow on March 5th, 2008

Someone is very bold if they’re willing to use both “angus” and “sliders” in the same product name. “Angus” by itself sounds bad enough.
MaryAnne on March 5th, 2008

That does seem expensive for a TJ’s item. Usually, I think that their food is very fairly price and leaning toward the inexpensive side.
rob on March 5th, 2008

I buy the frozen white castle sliders, they are very good, little difference from the real thing.
Sarah on March 5th, 2008

I love TJ’s, but I think I’ll pass on these. It’s almost easier just to buy some ground meat, and heat up the griddle. I would imagine far tastier too.
Trashy Eats on March 5th, 2008

$4.50 for 3.5 oz of food? That is ridiculous!

The phrase “sliders” grosses me out because I think it is the motion the cheeseburger is making going down my throat.
Jill on March 5th, 2008

I’m much better at the whole tetris-in-the-dishwasher myself, a side-by-side freezer is evil stuff, it is. Makes the game difficult.
bullwinkle on March 6th, 2008

Since there aren’t any krystal burgers in Austin, I think I’ll try those frozen white castles(if I can find them). Abi, you have got to get off this Trader Joes kick(or review something I can buy, like whole food’s brand).
Julie A on March 6th, 2008

White Castle cheeseburgers rule. Completely. I eat them for breakfast.
Evan on March 6th, 2008

Breakfast???? Must have been one heck of a bender.

@Trashy: That’s exactly why they’re called “sliders”.

@Crow: Yeah, the name “Angus” DOES sound close to something else…
Trader Joes Makes Sliders? What Number Sign Of The Apocalypse Are We Up To Now? « on March 7th, 2008

[…] Full story here… […]
Abi Jones on March 17th, 2008

@Jessica - I’ve never had a White Castle burger, frozen or otherwise.

@Crow - Thanks, that is the last sort of comment I needed.

@Trashy - Just think about the cost of gum and you won’t be so shocked.

@JIll - Ha. I wish I had a dishwasher. Seriously. I’d rather have a dishwasher than a bath. Please notice that I did not say ‘instead of a shower’. I would still want to have my shower.

@Bullwinkle - I’ll hold off on the TJ’s stuff for awhile.

@Julie - Noted. I will now have to try them for breakfast.