INGREDIENTS
2 slices Texas toast
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more for the onions
1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
3 tbsp ketchup, plus more for serving
2 eggs
3 white onions, diced
neutral oil
12 1/2 inch slices of Texas toast
mayonnaise
bread + butter pickles
Matty's Dank BBQ Sauce
neutral oil
1 white onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 cup ketchup
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
DIRECTIONS
Start by preheating your smoker or oven to 325 degrees. Prepare your BBQ sauce. In a small saucepan, heat up enough neutral oil to cover the pan. Add your onion, making sure that the onion caramelizes slowly for fifteen minutes. Do not burn. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Then add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, ginger, fennel, allspice, ground mustard, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, salt, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and water. Whisk it all together, bring to a boil, and simmer down to a thickened, sticky sauce, about thirty minutes. If you're using a smoker, you can put it in there for thirty minutes, so that the smoky flavor is incorporated throughout. Make your meatloaf. In a food processor, pulse the Texas toast into small crumbs. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add your beef, pork, mustard, fennel, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, ketchup, bread crumbs, and eggs. Start your mixer on the lowest speed, and as the ingredients start to incorporate, increase the speed to medium and mix until consistency starts to look whipped, five to eight minutes. Scoop your mixture into a nonstick 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and smooth out the top into an even layer. Tap the base of your pan on the table a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Cover the top with a generous layer of BBQ sauce. In a cast iron pan, add your onion, generously drizzle with neutral oil, and season with a pinch of salt. Put your meatloaf and your cast iron pan with the onion into your smoker (or oven) and close the lid. Allow to smoke (or bake) until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 155 degrees, about an hour, and then pull both the onions and meatloaf out to rest for at least 30 minutes. Remove your meatloaf from the pan and slice into thick slices. Take two pieces of fresh Texas toast, cover one slice with mayo, and place your meatloaf on top. Add the caramelized onions, more BBQ sauce, and bread + butter pickles to finish your sandwich. Make enough soft sandwiches for you and the crew. Enjoy!
