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From Our Colorado Table › Recipe 08
The Pueblo Slopper
An open-faced cheeseburger buried under The Pueblo Slopper
The Pueblo Slopper is not designed to be neat. A cheeseburger sits open-faced in a bowl or deep plate and is covered generously with Pueblo Green Chile, then finished with onions, cheese, or other family and restaurant favorites. It is part burger, part chile bowl, and completely Pueblo.
Our Story
A Pueblo Dish That Refuses to Behave
The Slopper is one of Pueblo’s most recognizable local foods because it takes something familiar — a cheeseburger — and turns it into something that could only have developed in a place where Green Chile belongs on nearly everything.
Instead of being wrapped in paper and eaten with two hands, the burger arrives open-faced in a bowl or deep plate. Then comes the defining move: ladles of The Pueblo Slopper poured over the top until the burger nearly disappears.
Restaurants and families may finish the Slopper differently, but the basic idea remains wonderfully simple: burger, cheese, bun, Green Chile, and enough of it that a fork and spoon become more useful than your hands.
A Matter of Tradition
The Slopper is strongly associated with Pueblo’s local food culture, and its exact origin is part of the city’s culinary folklore. Different restaurants have long had their own loyal followings and their own preferred toppings, textures, and chile heat.
Some versions arrive with chopped raw onion. Others add shredded cheese, tomato, lettuce, or fries. The Green Chile itself may be thick, thin, mild, or hot depending on the kitchen.
What makes it a Slopper is not precision. It is abundance. The burger should be covered generously enough that the chile becomes part of every bite.
The Recipe
The Pueblo Slopper
This is the complete Lodge 2738 Pueblo Slopper recipe. Have a pot of Pueblo Green Chile hot and ready before you cook the burgers. Once the patties are finished, assembly should be immediate and generous.
The Pueblo Slopper — Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably 80/20
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices American, cheddar, or pepper jack cheese
- 4–6 cups hot Pueblo Green Chile
- 1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional
- 1 medium tomato, diced, optional
- Shredded lettuce, optional
- Pickled jalapeños, optional
- French fries for serving, optional
The Pueblo Slopper — Preparation
- Divide the ground beef into four equal portions and shape into patties slightly wider than the buns. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a heavy skillet, griddle, or grill over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for about 3–4 minutes on the first side, then turn and continue cooking until they reach your preferred doneness.
- Place one slice of cheese over each patty during the final minute of cooking. Cover briefly if needed so the cheese melts completely.
- Split the hamburger buns. Toast them lightly if desired, but keep them soft enough to absorb some of the Green Chile.
- Place the bottom half of each bun in a wide shallow bowl or deep plate. Set a cheeseburger patty on top, then place the top half of the bun alongside or partially over the burger.
- Ladle hot Pueblo Green Chile generously over the burger and bun. Use enough to surround the burger in the bowl and coat the top thoroughly.
- Top with chopped onion and, if desired, additional shredded cheese, diced tomato, lettuce, or pickled jalapeños.
- Serve immediately with a fork and spoon. Add fries alongside or directly into the bowl if that is how your table likes its Slopper.
From the Family Kitchen
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Explore This Recipe Locally
Restaurants • Markets • Local Ingredients
As the IHCN local-food network expands, this section will connect the Pueblo Slopper to local restaurants, chile sources, burger spots, markets, and specialty food providers.
Serves This Dish
Discover Pueblo-area restaurants known for Sloppers and other local Green Chile favorites as participating IHCN listings are confirmed.
IHCN Connection ComingPueblo Chile Sources
Find local chile growers, roasters, farm stands, and markets for the Green Chile that defines the dish.
Local Sources ComingBurgers & Local Ingredients
Explore local meat markets, bakeries, grocers, and food providers for burgers, buns, cheese, onions, and toppings.
Local Sources Coming