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BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

I’m going to try and convince you to eat meatloaf.

That much.

To be real, I’ve always been a lover of meatloaf. Like, always. Like back in the days when many pieces of my wardrobe had the initials B.U.M. blazing on the front, followed by one little word: equipment. Like back in the days when I’d lay on the peach carpet of my bedroom and read through a Seventeen magazine even though I was only thirteen. Riddle me that, parents.

The reason for that, the largely important reason, was because my mom made the best freaking meatloaf. The freaking best.

BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

I wanted to change it up a little and go with a BBQ version, if only because the idea of curdled ketchup on top just wasn’t doing it for me that day. My mom is probably looking at this and thinking how horribly I ruined it, what with the BBQ sauce and all.

Well, she probably didn’t even make it past the title, let alone to the first picture. BBQ sauce, what what?

It’s working on this little slider of meatloaf. Trust me.

BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

Also, side note, every single darn time I type “meatloaf,” I end up typing “meatload.” It’s terrible. And makes me giggle like a five year old boy.

Also, second side note, meatloaf is ugly. It’s pretty impossible to make it look pretty. It’s a nightmare to photograph. In a sense, though, who the heck would think that LOAVES OF MEAT would be beautiful? Right. Why would anyone call this a loaf of meat? Couldn’t they come up with a better, less foul sounding name?

It better thank its lucky stars that it’s wildly delicious.

BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

This is a semi-high maintenance recipe. I mean, do you really need to bake a loaf of cornbread, wait for it to cool completely, slice it up, then grill it in butter until toasty?

Ummm.

Yes. You do.

Okay, not really. But yes you do. In the instance that you decide not to do all that work – work I clearly did before having a child because frankly I have no idea how I’d manage this meal during my current days here – the cornbread is still out of this world. It is SO ridiculously cheesy. In, like, the cheesy way and the CHEESY way.

I like to bake it in a loaf pan. Makes me feel different. Also makes it quite perfect for throwing in the toaster the next morning as well as the perfect vehicle for slathered butter after it’s toaster ride.

I don’t know what I like more – the toasty stacks with meatloaf on top or the breakfast version after a long night’s sleep. I’m gonna go with BOTH. Because I can.

BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

Absolute comfort food.

It’s such a fun little meal and yeah, while the slider stack of beef is sort of adorable and endearing and makes eating all about the cute “experience,” if you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off, this is totally doable as… like, regular food. Like make the meatloaf sliders and a loaf of cornbread and throw ’em on a plate and DEVOUR.

Seriously so dreamy.

BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

BBQ Meatloaf Sliders and Grilled Fontina Cornbread Stacks

5 from 14 votes
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Ingredients

fontina cornbread

BBQ meatloaf

meatloaf topping

Instructions 

fontina cornbread

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the grated cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the milk and eggs to the dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Stir in the butter, mixing until the batter is somewhat smooth but just combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, then place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the bread is set. Let cool completely, then remove from the pan and cut into slices.
  • To grill the cornbread, add a bit of butter to a griddle or skillet over medium heat and gently place the cornbread in the skillet. Cook on both sides until golden and toasty. Serve immediately with the meatloaf of top!

BBQ meatloaf

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  • Place the beef in a large bowl along with the crumbled toast, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, tomato and BBQ sauces, egg and onion (I dump all contents from the onion skillet into the bowl, including leftover butter/oil). Use your hands to gently combine the mixture and bring it together, evenly distributing the ingredients but trying not to overmix. Form the mixture into sliders – depending on how large you will get 8 to 12 sliders. I make mine about 2 inches in diameter and slightly less than 1 inch thickness. Place the sliders on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven and spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the topping on them. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve over the cornbread. If desired, you can heat up the topping and drizzle extra on top of the meatloaf!
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BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks I howsweeteats.com

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