Meatloaf Slider Recipe

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I love meatloaf. I love it even more when it's slathered in mayo (Duke's ya'll) and sandwiched in between a soft bun that's served alongside a generous helping of salty potato chips and an ice cold beer. Methinks, I smell a Super Bowl recipe....

Not long ago, I developed a meatloaf recipe for Food Republic (or should I say ripped it off from my mom, the master meatloaf-maker) for a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs loaf doused in a homemade barbecue sauce. On its own, this particular meatloaf recipe is positively swoon-worthy, but slice it up thick and serve it cold on a smushy sandwich with all the proper Southern accoutrements, and it's slap-yo-momma good.

Admittedly, I'm not a big football fan, but I do like watching the Super Bowl for two reasons. First, it's the one day out of the year where it is ok to eat a bunch of crap all day long, and what I mean by crap are white-trashy originals like nachos dripping in Cheez Whiz, bourbon soaked Lil Smokies, ass-burnin' chicken wings, and all kinds of creations made from a box of Bisquick. This is the time when we can all proudly flip the bird at our snot-laden foodie friends while waiting for our turn at the beer bong.

The other reasons is this-- The Puppy Bowl. I mean, who can resist a beagle pup playing in his water bowl via the water bowl cam or a slo-mo replay of a klutzy yellow lab tackling a yappy Yorkie? Throw in shots of a pep squad of baby pigs and roll me over because I am done. It's a beautiful thing, the puppy bowl. Not only does it make me all warm and fuzzy inside, but I can escape being force-ably made to watch the grown-up version.

So, back to the loaf. My recommendation is to make this game day goodie the day before and chill it in the fridge over night before assembling the sandwiches. A proper meatloaf sandwich should never be served hot, otherwise you'll have wilty lettuce and half-cooked mayo to deal with. Speaking of mayo, use full fat mayo, not light or low-fat which often contains twice the amount of sugar (a.k.a. high fructose corn syrup) as the regular stuff. Read the labels. Lower fat anything isn't always the healthiest option because of the innumerable number of processed additions and sugar. Buy regular mayo and spread less of it on your bun if you're watching calories.

For bread, you'll want to get a smaller, snack-size (a.k.a slider) bun. I particularly like Martin's rolls which are super-soft and make for a decidedly less messy sandwich eating experience. Avoid using hard or crusty rolls unless you like squeezing the meat out of your sandwich with each bite.

To serve. Assemble your sandwiches on a big platter and skewer each with a toothpick to hold them together. Also, this recipe makes around 10-12 sandwiches depending on how thick you cut the loaf, so if you have a big crowd coming over, just double up the recipe and make two separate loaves.

Here's the recipe and I hope you enjoy!

BBQ Meatloaf Sliders
Makes 10-12 sliders

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, minced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons hot sauce, (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the meatloaf:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, or a mixture of pork and beef
3/4 cup uncooked oats or breadcrumbs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For Assembly:

Package of 12 soft slider buns
Iceberg lettuce
Mayonnaise
Optional condiments: sliced tomatoes, sliced onion or bread and butter pickles
Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute another couple of minutes. Add ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, chili powder and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool. Note: the sauce can be made up to two days ahead.

In a large pan, add vegetable oil. Then, saute onion, carrot and celery until soft. Remove from pan and cool. In a separate bowl, mix oats, buttermilk, eggs, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add in 1/4 cup of your pre-made BBQ sauce and mix well. Gently form into an oval loaf and place in a shallow baking dish. Top with additional sauce. Be sure to save some on the side for your sandwiches. Bake for one hour or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Let meatloaf cool. Best if chilled overnight.

To make sandwiches. Cut meatloaf into 2-inch thick slices. Slice open buns and place a slice inside each bun (slice again to fit the bun if necessary, but I recommend stacking them up high). Spread a little of the extra BBQ sauce on top of the meatloaf slice and then top with lettuce and any other toppings. Generously slather the top bun with mayo and place a toothpick through the middle to hold sandwich together.
   
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