It's one of my favorite dinner options to make for my family. With grilling season well on it's way, this traditional family meal transformed. Grilled Meatloaf Sliders are not what you'd expect in a mini burger. They're better. I love homemade burgers but I've always hated how much they shrink and puff up when you're grilling them. That always seemed to be a bit of a frustration for me, so much bread and I had to nibble on them little by little. Once all the veggies were added, it seemed to be two-stories high! But hey, in case you're in the same boat with me … waving Hi … I'm sharing a tip on how to eliminate that problem to get you some better shaped burgers!
I made these based on my Best Ever Meatloaf recipe I shared not too long ago. It is loaded with flavor and a tangy sauce that was slathered on top before baking it. The Grilled Meatloaf Sliders are a miniaturized version of that recipe and they are perfect for grilling season! And … they cook a whole heck of a lot faster than you'd think, so YAY!!!
Now, you can add whatever veggies … lettuce, tomato, avocado … whatever you wish. I opted to keep things simple and used an Asian salad instead of the traditional toppers. It was perfect!!! Each bite had a nice crunch along with a juicy, tender and tangy burger! Of course, let's not forget the slider buns. I went for the gusto and bought Sweet Hawaiian Slider Buns and … drool! Haha, the truth was I had no other option. The bun section at the grocery store was a little lacking so let's just say … it was destiny! And, of course, my Tangy Corn on the Cobb giveaway (pictured) paired perfectly with these sliders!
Meatloaf Slider Tip
About them misshaped, puffy burger patties. Annoying, I know. I recently learned of a little trick to keep the patties perfectly even, making them not only the approximate size you intended them to be but also flatter! Do you know what that trick is? Indentation. Once you shape the patty, make a small indentation in the center of it.
I'm not science-y by a long shot but from what I learned, doing this before grilling helps it maintain an even thickness as it cooks, preventing it from puffing up too much. It has to do with how the proteins contract during the cooking process … or something to that effect. Whatever the reason, this trick really works! In the picture above, you can see the patties have the indentation and in the picture below, the patty is flat and did not thicken up as much. Woop-Woop
As you can see in the photos below, I made a batch with the homemade BBQ Glaze on them and then some without it because…well I have a picky eater lingering around my house. Hard to believe I know. The thought to disavow her has crossed my mind but she's to cute and lovable so I'll probably keep this mini version of me around 😉
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 Egg
- 1.5 tbsp Italian Bread Crumbs
- 1.5 slices Bread Slices, torn up small
- 1 pouch Mushroom Onion Soup Mix (I used Lipton )
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tsp BBQ Sauce (I used Kentucky Bourbon)
- 12 mini Slider Buns (I used Sweet Hawaiian)
- 1 pkg Asian Salad Mix
BBQ Glaze
- 3 tbsp Ketchup
- 1.5 tsp BBQ Sauce (I used Kentucky Bourbon)
- 1.5 tsp A-1 Steak Sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Instructions
Prep Work
- In a small cup, combine all ingredients for glaze and mix well. Set aside.
- Prepare Asian Salad Kit accordingly, cover and refrigerate. If desired, lightly brush slider buns with melted butter. Set aside.
Sliders
- Line baking pan with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Set aside. Fire up Grill/BBQ Pit.
- In a large bowl, break ground beef up. Add egg, bread, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, bbq sauce, soup mix and paprika. Combine well. Smooth out and shape into a loaf. Divide into 12 portions*. Shape each portion into a small patty. Make a small indentation in the center of each patty. Place patties on prepared baking sheet.
- Grill patties for 3 minutes on each side. Avoid pressing them down or puncturing them as this would yield dried out patties.
- Slather prepared sauce mix over each patty and cook for for another minute. Flip over and repeat. Remove from grill and cover with foil until ready to assemble.
- Once sliders are cooked, place buns on grill to toast lightly on both sides. Remove from heat. Assemble sliders, using Asian Salad as the veggies. Devour!
Dividing Meatloaf: Shape meat mixture into one tube like shape. Using a knife or spatula, divide in half. Then divide those halves in half again. You should have four evenly portioned sections. Now divide each of those portions into three. This should leave you with the twelve evenly divided patty portions. This is the easiest way (for me) to divvy them up 😃
Cookout Week: It's still going!!! There's still plenty of time to enter for a chance to win the perfect Summer Grilling Prize Pack with all the goodies that are mentioned in the photo above! Here's the link to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway The BBQ/Picnic recipes are flooding in, giving you plenty of inspiration and choices to make for your next family get together. Taking a peek at all these fantastic recipes, you'll find a large variety of grilled meats, veggies, sides, salads, drinks and desserts! There's something for everyone, even the pickiest of eaters! In case you're wondering, my Spicy Chocolate Cookie Cake Bars** as well as my Grilled Tangy Corn on the Cob recipes are in there somewhere. Whether you're hosting a BBQ event or have been invited as a guest, my food blogging friends and I have you covered!
Cori - xoxo