Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs That’ll Ruin Every Other Sub for You
Okay, so I basically created a monster when I made these bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs for the first time. My husband took one bite and was like, “Well, I guess we’re never ordering from that sandwich place again.” And honestly? He wasn’t wrong.
This whole thing started because I was craving a cheeseburger but also wanted a meatball sub, and my brain was like, “Why not both?” So I combined them into these ridiculously indulgent bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs that are basically every comfort food dream rolled into one sandwich.
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How I Accidentally Invented the Ultimate Comfort Food
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you—I was in one of those moods where I wanted to eat everything in my kitchen, and I had ground beef, sub rolls, and a bottle of bourbon that my brother-in-law brought to our last barbecue. My rational brain said “make normal meatballs,” but my hungry brain said “make cheeseburger meatballs with bourbon BBQ sauce.”
Guess which brain won.
The first attempt was… interesting. I tried to stuff the meatballs with cheese cubes, but half of them leaked out during cooking and made this weird cheese mess in the pan. Plus I got a little heavy-handed with the bourbon in the sauce and it tasted like I was trying to get drunk off a sandwich (which, to be fair, wasn’t entirely wrong).
But the second time? Magic happened. These bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs were so good that my teenage son actually put his phone down to focus on eating. That’s when I knew I had something special.
What Makes These Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs Work
The secret is treating the meatballs like tiny cheeseburgers. I mix the ground beef with all the classic burger seasonings—onion powder, garlic, a little Worcestershire sauce—and then I grate the cheese right into the meat mixture instead of trying to stuff it in there like a maniac.
The bourbon BBQ sauce is where things get interesting. It’s not just regular BBQ sauce with bourbon thrown in (tried that, tasted weird). You actually reduce the bourbon first to cook off the harsh alcohol flavor, then mix it with brown sugar, ketchup, and spices. The result is this sweet, smoky, slightly boozy sauce that makes everything better.
And the bacon? Don’t just crumble it on top like an afterthought. Cook it until it’s crispy, chop it up, and mix some right into the meatballs. The rest goes on the sandwich because you can never have too much bacon. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact.
The Key to Perfect Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs
Here’s what took me way too long to figure out: the bread matters. A lot. You can’t just use any old sub roll for these bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs. You need something sturdy enough to handle all that sauce and juice without falling apart in your hands.
I learned this the hard way when I used those soft sandwich rolls from the grocery store and ended up eating my first batch with a fork like some kind of deconstructed sandwich salad. Not cute.
Now I get the crusty Italian rolls from the bakery section, hollow out some of the inside bread, and toast them with a little garlic butter. Game changer. The rolls hold up to all that saucy goodness and add their own flavor instead of just being a bland vehicle.
Ingredients for Your Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs
Alright, let’s talk ingredients. Don’t try to make these “healthy” by substituting everything—they’re supposed to be indulgent. That’s the whole point.
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend, don’t go leaner or they’ll be dry)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use panko because I’m fancy like that)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
- 1/4 cup bourbon (don’t use the good stuff, save that for drinking)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Assembly:
- 4 crusty sub rolls
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- More bacon (because why not?)
- Extra cheese for melting on top
- Diced red onion (optional but I love the crunch)
About that bourbon—I use whatever’s cheapest at the liquor store because most of the alcohol cooks off anyway. I tried this with expensive bourbon once and couldn’t really tell the difference, so save your money for something you’ll actually sip.
How to Make These Ridiculous Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs
Step 1: Prep Your Bacon (The Most Important Step)
Cook the bacon until it’s crispy but not burnt. You want it to still have some chew because it’s going into the meatballs. Reserve about half for the meatball mixture and half for topping the subs. Save some of that bacon fat—we’re using it later.
Step 2: Make the Meatballs
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with milk and let them sit for a few minutes to get soggy. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, chopped bacon, the soggy breadcrumb mixture, egg, cheese, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
Mix it with your hands (gross but effective) until just combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll get tough meatballs. Roll into balls about the size of a golf ball—you should get about 16-18 meatballs.
Step 3: Cook the Meatballs
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a little of that reserved bacon fat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total. They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet—they’ll finish in the sauce.
Step 4: Make the Bourbon BBQ Sauce
In the same pan (don’t clean it—all those brown bits are flavor), add the bourbon. Let it cook for about 2 minutes to burn off some of the alcohol. The key is—oh wait, I forgot to mention—be careful here because the bourbon might flame up. Don’t panic if it does, just let it burn off.
Add all the other sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, add the meatballs back to the pan, and let everything cook together for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through.
Step 5: Prep the Bread
Mix the softened butter with minced garlic. Split the sub rolls and hollow out some of the bread from the top half (save it for breadcrumbs or just eat it—I won’t judge). Spread the garlic butter on both halves and toast until golden.
Step 6: Assemble These Beauties
Fill each roll with 4-5 meatballs and plenty of that bourbon BBQ sauce. Top with extra bacon, cheese, and red onion if you’re using it. Put them under the broiler for just a minute to melt the cheese.
Try not to make embarrassing happy noises when you take your first bite. I failed at this part.
My Personal Tips for Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs Success
Don’t Skip the Milk-Soaked Breadcrumbs: This is what keeps the meatballs tender and juicy. I learned this from watching way too many cooking shows during lockdown.
Taste Your Sauce: The bourbon BBQ sauce should be balanced—sweet, tangy, and just a little smoky. If it’s too sweet, add more vinegar. Too tart? More brown sugar.
Size Matters: Make the meatballs uniform so they cook evenly. I use a cookie scoop because I’m apparently that person now.
Bread Strategy: Toast the insides of the rolls too, not just the outsides. It creates a barrier against the sauce so your sandwich doesn’t fall apart.
Actually, speaking of bread falling apart, I once tried to eat one of these while driving and it was a complete disaster. Sauce everywhere, meatballs rolling around the car floor. Learn from my mistakes and eat these at a table with napkins. Lots of napkins.
Variations on the Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs Theme
Turkey Version: I’ve made these with ground turkey when I was trying to be “healthy.” They’re fine, but you need to add more seasoning because turkey is bland.
Spicy Version: Add some cayenne to the meatballs and use hot sauce in the BBQ sauce. My brother loves these but they make me sweat.
Different Cheese: Swiss works really well instead of cheddar, and my neighbor tried them with pepper jack and said they were amazing.
The Disaster: I once tried to make these in the slow cooker thinking it would be easier. The meatballs turned to mush and the sauce was watery. Some things need hands-on attention.
Why These Beat Any Restaurant Sub
Restaurant meatball subs are usually just frozen meatballs with jarred sauce on mediocre bread. These bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs are made from scratch with actual flavor combinations that make sense.
Plus, you can control everything. Want more bacon? Add more bacon. Want less bourbon flavor? Use less bourbon. Want to make them at 10 PM because you’re having a craving? Your kitchen, your rules.
And let’s be real about the cost—making four of these at home probably costs about the same as ordering one sub from most places, and they’re way better.
The Real Talk About These Bourbon BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs
These are not diet food. They’re not health food. They’re comfort food in its purest, most indulgent form. If you’re looking for something light and fresh, keep scrolling.
But if you want something that will make you close your eyes and do a little happy dance while you eat it, these are your sandwich. They’re messy, they’re over-the-top, and they’re absolutely worth every calorie.
Also, your kitchen will smell like heaven while you’re making them. I’ve had neighbors knock on my door asking what I was cooking because the smell was drifting outside. It’s that good.
These bourbon bbq bacon cheeseburger meatball subs have become my go-to recipe when I want to impress people or when I need serious comfort food. They’re what I make when my husband has a terrible day at work, or when my son brings friends over and I want to be the cool mom.
Fair warning though—once you make these, people will expect you to make them again. My brother-in-law has “casually” stopped by around dinnertime like six times since I first made them. Coincidence? I think not.
Let me know how yours turn out! And if you figure out a way to eat them without making a complete mess, please share your secrets because I’m still working on that part.
Happy cooking (and may your napkin supply be plentiful)!
