Try these smoked brisket sliders for the Fourth of July

With July 4 on the horizon, I was looking to create a fun recipe with a twist on the traditional barbecue for serving at cookouts and other gatherings.

I remembered several years back, on a trip to the Smoky Mountains, we had our first smoked brisket sandwich.

When my husband took the first bite, he looked at that sandwich like he looked at me on our wedding night. Yes, it was that good.

But, no - there was no way I was going to buy a smoker no matter how much he loved that sandwich. However, I was motivated to figure out an easy way to replicate this brisket without the requisite 12-plus hours of preparation.

Liquid smoke and a crockpot were the answers. After several tries, I finally made a sandwich that hearkens us back to our delicious Southern road trip.

These barbecue sliders make not only my husband thrilled, but family and friends as well. They'd be a hit at any get-together.

Like all bona fide Momma Chef recipes, these sliders are made using only 6 ingredients and under 6 minutes of prep time. I declare y'all will come back for more!

Karen Nochimowski, the mom behind MommaChef.com, has loved cooking for as long as she can remember. The goal of Momma Chef blog is to help busy moms serve fabulous meals with little effort and few ingredients to their families. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef's Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef's Little Free Pantry which provide food at no cost to those in the Chicago community. Follow her on Facebook at themommachef and on Instagram at @themommachef.

Barbecue Brisket Sliders

3 pound flat-cut (first cut) brisket

½ cup barbecue sauce, such as Sweet Baby Ray's

½ bottle beer, such as Belgian ale

½ cup Italian salad dressing

2 tablespoons liquid smoke, such as Colgin All-Natural Hickory Liquid Smoke

8 to 10 Hawaiian rolls or brioche slider buns, split

Place brisket in slow cooker (ideally a 6 to 8 quart size).

Pour barbecue sauce, beer, dressing and liquid smoke over the brisket.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Once finished, take two forks and shred the brisket in the slow cooker (alternatively, you can put the brisket on a cutting board and cut into small pieces).

Using a slotted spoon, top the bottom halves of the rolls with the brisket, dividing it evenly. Top with the top half of the roll and serve at once.

Notes: You can top the brisket off with your favorite slice of cheese or coleslaw. The brisket can be made the day before and reheated in a pan until warm. And make sure the rolls are fresh.

This recipe is dairy-free, nut-free and sesame-free.

Serves 8