Make the slaw: Whisk buttermilk, mayo, cider vinegar, sugar, and remaining half of scallions from the meatballs in a big bowl and add cabbage, tossing to evenly coat it. Season to style with salt and pepper.
[Here is where, if you’re unhinged enough to make your own barbecue sauce, you can do so using the quickie recipe at the end. But there is truly no need to do this to make a great meatball slider, promise.]
Toast your buns: In a big frying pan, the identical one the place you’ll prepare dinner your meatballs, soften a tablespoon of butter over medium warmth. Place your buns, cut-side down, within the pan. Cook dinner till lower sides are golden-brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Switch to plate or platter the place you’ll assemble your sliders.
Cook dinner the smashed meatballs: Take away hen meatball combination from fridge and, utilizing moist arms for a smoother form, roll into the scale and variety of meatballs you’ll need — that is decided by the scale of your buns. Be sure you roll the meatballs smaller than the bun in order that they may fill it out as soon as smashed.
Warmth your giant frying pan over excessive warmth for a minute, then coat with about 2 tablespoons oil. Place your first few meatballs within the pan and allow them to sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute earlier than utilizing a heavy spatula to flatten them till they’re about 1/2-inch-thick. Season meatballs with an additional dusting of salt and pepper. Cook dinner till they’re crisp and deeply browned beneath, about 3 to 4 minutes — cut back the warmth to medium-high in the event that they’re cooking a lot sooner — and flip every, cooking on the second facet till additionally it is browned beneath, one other 2 to three minutes. Switch meatballs to ready buns and repeat with remaining meat.
To complete: Spoon barbecue sauce onto every meatball, high with a couple of sliced of pickle, and a small heap of slaw, and eat straight away.
Quickie Barbecue Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons every molasses and apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika (or half of every) in a skillet and produce to a simmer, stirring, over medium-high warmth. Cut back warmth to medium and proceed to prepare dinner, stirring, for two to three minutes. Season to style with salt and freshly floor black pepper. Pour right into a bowl for serving; wipe out pan and proceed to make use of it to toast the buns and prepare dinner the meatballs.
