Cheddar and Bacon Meatball Sliders

We have a favorite meatloaf in our family that you make and then lay strips of bacon over the top so that when it bakes that wonderful bacon flavor will work its way into the meatloaf.  My Swedish Meatballs recipe has bacon that is cooked and added to the meat mixture.  That got me to thinking about different ingredients that would make a yummy meatball. This is your basic meatball taken up a notch with the addition of cheese and bacon. I think that some finely diced jalapeno would be a terrific addition as well.  We made them into sliders but they would be delicious as an appetizer or you could serve them with mashed potatoes.  This one is sure to become a family favorite!

Cheddar and Bacon Meatball Sliders

1  tablespoon olive oil
8  slices bacon, finely diced
1  medium red onion, finely diced
2  cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
2  slices bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
1/2  cup milk
1  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon pepper
2  eggs, beaten
1   cup cheddar cheese, (4 ounces)
2  pounds ground round

Slider Buns, toasted under the broiler until light brown (I like to remove a little of the bread so the meatballs sit down in a little well in the bun.)
Your favorite BBQ sauce or go here for my  recipe for easy BBQ Sauce
French Fried Onions, I used Durkee Brand but the Pioneer Woman's Onion Straws would be fabulous!
Lettuce Leaves
Tomato Slices
Anything else you would like on your slider!

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and onion and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute until fragrant. Remove bacon, onion and garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the bread and milk.  Add the salt and pepper and let the bread crumbs soak for 5 minutes.

To the bowl with the bread crumbs, mix in the egg and cheese.  Add the ground beef and the bacon mixture and mix, making sure it is thoroughly combined.  I've found my hands are the best tools for this job. I just wear a pair of food service gloves so my hands aren't so messy.

Roll mixture into meatballs, I use a 1 ounce cookie scoop so mine are uniform.  It is about 2 tablespoons of the mixture. I like to cook the meatballs on a broiler pan.  They will brown evenly and the fat will drain away.  Line the bottom of the pan with foil to make cleanup easier. You could also use a cooling rack set into a cookie sheet.

Bake the meatballs at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through. The recipe will yield about 24 to 26 meatballs.

On your toasted bun place 2 meatballs and add any desired toppings.

Enjoy!

Kim

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