Grilled BBQ Sliders with Beef and Sausage

Juicy grilled BBQ sliders made with beef, Italian sausage, roasted poblano peppers, cheese, and Honey Hog seasoning on soft Hawaiian rolls.

Sometimes a recipe comes about because you planned it.

And sometimes you look at a bowl of leftover meat and say, "Well, what are we going to do with this?"

That's exactly how these grilled BBQ sliders happened.

When we made our [Smoked Shotgun Shells], we had quite a bit of filling left after stuffing the manicotti. There was no way we were throwing away a mixture of ground beef, Italian sausage, roasted poblano peppers, Colby Jack, and cream cheese.

So we formed it into patties, seasoned them with Meat Church Honey Hog, and put them on the grill.

Then we tucked those patties into soft Hawaiian rolls and topped them with honey barbecue sauce.

And they were so good that what started as a way to use leftovers immediately became a recipe worth making on purpose.

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Grilled BBQ Sliders at a Glance

These aren't your average little hamburger sliders. The patties themselves are loaded with flavor before they ever hit the grill.

Ground beef gives them that classic burger flavor.
Italian sausage adds seasoning, richness, and plenty of moisture.
Colby Jack and cream cheese are mixed right into the meat rather than simply melted on top.
And fire-roasted poblano peppers add smoky chile flavor and a little heat.

We season the outside with Honey Hog BBQ seasoning and finish the sliders with honey barbecue sauce. Put all of that on a soft Hawaiian roll and you've got one seriously good little sandwich.

Ingredients You'll Need

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a glance at what you'll need to make these easy and flavorful sliders. These are simple ingredients!

1 pound 85/15 ground beef
1 pound ground Italian sausage
8 ounces thick-cut shredded Colby Jack cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large poblano peppers
Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ seasoning, to taste
Honey barbecue sauce, for serving
Slider buns or Hawaiian rolls

Fire-Roast the Poblanos First

We used the same roasted poblano technique for these sliders that we used for our shotgun shells.

Fire-roast the peppers over an open flame until they're blackened on all sides.

Once they're cool enough to handle, remove the charred skins and stems, then finely chop the softened peppers.

If you don't have an open flame, you can broil the poblanos instead. Just get those skins good and blistered before peeling them.

Poblanos aren't overwhelmingly hot. They add a mild chile flavor that works especially well with the sausage, cheese, and sweet barbecue seasoning.

Make the Slider Patties

Place the ground beef, Italian sausage, shredded Colby Jack, softened cream cheese, and finely chopped roasted poblanos in a large bowl. Using gloved hands, gently work everything together until evenly combined.

Form the mixture into small patties sized to fit your slider buns. Don't pack the patties too tightly. You want them to hold together, but overworking ground meat can make burgers dense.

Season the Sliders

Season both sides of each patty with Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ seasoning. We don't measure this. Give them a nice coating, but remember that the Italian sausage and cheese already bring plenty of flavor to the mixture.

Grill the Sliders

Place the patties on a preheated grill and cook for approximately 20 minutes total, flipping them about halfway through.

Because these patties contain both ground beef and Italian sausage, cook them to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Cooking time can vary depending on the size and thickness of your patties, so let your thermometer—not just the clock—tell you when they're ready.

Add the Barbecue Sauce

When we first made these, we didn't baste the patties with barbecue sauce while they were on the grill. We simply added honey barbecue sauce when we assembled the sliders.

And they were delicious.

But there's no reason you couldn't brush the patties lightly with barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of grilling. That would give you a stickier, caramelized barbecue finish similar to the glaze on our shotgun shells.

Just wait until they're nearly done before adding the sauce so the sugars don't have time to burn.

Assemble the Sliders

Place each hot patty on a slider bun or Hawaiian roll. Spoon a little honey barbecue sauce over the top, add the top bun, and serve them while they're hot.

The sweetness of Hawaiian rolls is particularly good with the smoky poblano, savory sausage, and honey barbecue flavors.

What to Expect from these Sliders

Just one word, friends: Delicious! These might have started as an afterthought (with leftover seasoned meat from our Shotgun Shells) but they're definitely worthy of their own celebration. They are juicy and tender with the perfect blend of sweet and spice from the honey hog seasoning and poblano peppers. The cream cheese and Colby Jack blend were basically dripping out of them and made them really flavorful. We'll definitely be making them again in the future!

Try Them with Grilled Pineapple

Here's the variation we're trying next. Add a grilled pineapple ring.

The more we thought about it, the better it sounded. Grilled pineapple would add sweetness, acidity, and a little caramelization to balance the rich beef, sausage, bacon-free cheesy filling and smoky poblano.

Place a small pineapple ring on the grill until you get some nice caramelization on both sides, then add it to the slider before serving. With Honey Hog seasoning and honey barbecue sauce?

Yes, please.

More Ways to Change Them Up

Make Them Spicier

Replace the poblano with jalapeño or Hatch chile, or use hot Italian sausage instead of mild.

BBQ-Glazed Sliders

Brush the patties with honey barbecue sauce during the final few minutes of grilling instead of adding all the sauce afterward.

Pepper Jack Sliders

Swap the Colby Jack for Pepper Jack to add another layer of chile flavor.

Toast the Hawaiian Rolls

Place the cut sides of the rolls briefly on the grill just before serving. Keep an eye on them because Hawaiian rolls contain sugar and can toast quickly.

Add Bacon

Because apparently we didn't already put enough good things into these.

A piece of crisp bacon would turn these into an even heartier BBQ slider.

From Shotgun Shell Filling to a Brand-New Recipe

We love when one recipe accidentally creates another.

The first time we made these patties, we weren't trying to develop a slider recipe at all.

We'd made a batch of Smoked Shotgun Shells and discovered that our filling recipe made considerably more than we needed for the 14 manicotti tubes in the box.

We could have bought more manicotti and bacon and made additional shotgun shells.

Instead, we made sliders.

Good decision.

They were juicy, cheesy, savory, slightly smoky from the poblano, and just sweet enough once we added the Honey Hog and honey barbecue sauce.

So while you absolutely can make these with leftover shotgun-shell filling, you don't have to wait for leftovers.

They're worth mixing up a batch of their own.

What to Serve with BBQ Sliders

These are hearty little sandwiches, so we'd keep the sides simple.

Try them with:

For a backyard party, you could also make the patties smaller and serve them as part of a larger appetizer spread.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

For best results, store the patties separately from the rolls and assemble the sliders after reheating. That keeps the bread from getting soggy.

Reheat the patties on the grill, in the oven, or in an air fryer until hot throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the slider mixture ahead of time?

Yes. Mix and shape the patties, cover them well, and refrigerate until you're ready to grill.

Can I use all ground beef instead of Italian sausage?

You can, but you'll lose some of the seasoning and richness the Italian sausage adds. If you make the substitution, you may want to adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Are poblano peppers spicy?

Poblanos are generally mild compared with jalapeños. They provide more roasted chile flavor than intense heat, although individual peppers can vary.

Can I add BBQ sauce while the sliders are grilling?

Absolutely. We didn't baste our original batch, but you can brush the patties lightly with barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking.

What temperature should the sliders reach?

Because the patties contain ground Italian sausage along with ground beef, cook them to an internal temperature of 165°F.

Can I make full-size burgers instead?

Sure. Shape the mixture into larger patties and adjust the grilling time accordingly, always cooking them to a safe internal temperature.

About the Cooks & Pitmaster

Randi and Zach Morrow are part of the family behind Backyard Texas Grill, where good food usually starts with an idea, a hot grill, and a willingness to try something new. Zach brings the pitmaster side of the equation, while Randi is always ready to experiment with flavors and turn a good idea into something worth making again.

These sliders are a perfect example. They started as a solution for leftover shotgun-shell filling and ended up being good enough to earn a recipe all their own.

Sometimes that's how the best backyard recipes happen.

Thanks for Stopping By

If you make these sliders and love them, we'd love to hear about it in the comments. Better yet, leave a review. Those help. . .a lot. And before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards.