BBQ Meatball Sliders with Bacon

Bacon lovers unite! This recipe is a bacon lover's dream, with bacon 2 ways! Due to the BBQ sauce being sweet, I recommend using a spicy cheese (like habanero Jack).

Ingredients

• 7 slices bacon
• 8 ounces 93% lean ground beef
• 0.5 cup panko bread crumbs
• 0.75 cup barbeque sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray's®), divided
• 1 tablespoon steak sauce
• 10 slices pepper Jack cheese
• 10 slider buns
• 10 slices cooked bacon
• 0.25 cup slivered onion
• 0.25 cup roasted red pepper, cut into strips

Steps

1. Attach the meat grinder attachment to an electric stand mixer (such as KitchenAid®). Run enough bacon through the meat grinder to make 8 ounces ground bacon.
2. Combine ground bacon, beef, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, and steak sauce in a bowl. Mix until well combined and shape into 2-inch round balls. Set meatballs on a baking sheet.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Bake meatballs until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), about 25 minutes.
5. Place a slice of cheese on top each meatball. Toast slider buns if desired. Place a meatball between each slider bun. Top with cooked bacon slices, onion, remaining barbeque sauce, and roasted red bell peppers.