Sausage balls

Big things often come in small packages. These sliders pack a flavorful punch that is sure to be enjoyed by all. This recipe can be written dozens of ways, depending on your various condiment preferences. The best thing about these paleo-friendly offerings is that you don't have a doughy soft bun to get in the way of your fresh lettuce and tomatoes.

Sliders can be a great appetizer for a big crowd or a meal for a smaller crew. This is also a really fun recipe to get kids involved in the process. Who doesn’t remember getting to make burgers as a kid?

1–1½ pounds (500-750 g) ground beef
1 large egg
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup (100 g) mushrooms, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (5 ml) black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 each: yellow, red, green bell pepper
1 small onion, sliced
3 small tomatoes, sliced
1 head iceberg lettuce
6–8 medium portobello mushrooms

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Be sure you have a clean grate and wipe it down with a little oil when hot.
2. In a large bowl, mix ground meat, egg, chopped onion and mushrooms. Sprinkle in black pepper and garlic salt as you’re mixing the meat.
3. Form small burgers with hands (no need for a fancy slider mold here). The burgers will be about 2 inches in diameter.
4. Slice all three peppers down the sides to form large flat pieces (think like you’re cutting the walls off a house).
5. Slice other onion and tomatoes thinly (about 1/8 inch). Pull lettuce apart into individual leaves. Try to keep them whole (as large as possible).
6. Grill burgers 3-5 minutes per side, depending upon your desired doneness. Grill peppers and mushrooms 2-3 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
7. Stack burgers between peppers or mushrooms and wrap with lettuce. Add the onion and tomato slices if you’re so inclined.

Variations—If you’d like, slice the tomatoes a bit thicker to use as bun—just know they’ll be pretty juicy.

—With sliders/burgers you can use almost any ground meat you want. We like to occasionally use ground turkey or ground venison.

—We always try to have a batch of our homemade Paleo Mayo, Cave Ketchup (recipe here), or Chipotle Dipping Sauce (recipe here) ready to serve on top of these.

More Recipes You'll Love

• Jalapeno Poppers
• Dry-brined big bird
• CRISPY SAGE

Sausage balls get the paleo slider treatment here - ground beef mixed with egg, chopped onion, and mushrooms, grilled into two-inch rounds and stacked between charred peppers or portobello caps. Lettuce leaves wrap it all up, so there is no doughy bun in the way. A big platter feeds a crowd fast.

Pro Tips

• Mix the ground meat with the egg, onion, and mushrooms gently - overworking the meat makes the sliders dense.
• Cut the pepper walls off in large flat slabs so they hold up as buns; think of cutting the walls off a house.
• Wipe the hot grill grate with a little oil before the meat goes on - the small patties stick easily.
• Keep the lettuce leaves whole and large; torn leaves cannot hold the stack together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ground meat works best?

The recipe uses ground beef, but ground turkey or venison works with the same seasoning and timing.

Can I cook these indoors?

A cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat does the job. Give the patties 3-5 minutes per side to your doneness.

What should I serve on top?

Paleo Mayo, Cave Ketchup, or Chipotle Dipping Sauce are the recipe's standing condiment trio.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Sausage balls

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Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 large egg
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup (100 g) mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 1 each: yellow, red, green bell pepper
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 small tomatoes, sliced
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 6–8 medium portobello mushrooms
• Stack burgers between peppers or mushrooms and wrap with lettuce. Add the onion and tomato slices if you’re so inclined.

Method

 

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Be sure you have a clean grate and wipe it down with a little oil when hot.
2. In a large bowl, mix ground meat, egg, chopped onion and mushrooms.
3. Sprinkle in black pepper and garlic salt as you’re mixing the meat.
4. Form small burgers with hands (no need for a fancy slider mold here). The burgers will be about 2 inches in diameter.
5. Slice all three peppers down the sides to form large flat pieces (think like you’re cutting the walls off a house).
6. Slice other onion and tomatoes thinly (about 1/8 inch). Pull lettuce apart into individual leaves. Try to keep them whole (as large as possible).
7. Grill burgers 3-5 minutes per side, depending upon your desired doneness.
8. Grill peppers and mushrooms 2-3 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 18gFat: 17g

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