Johnston Teen's SPAM Saucy Meatball Sliders Win Love of Judges

SPAM sliders?

Don't knock 'em 'til you try 'em - and one Johnston teen has just the recipe to win you over to canned meat.

Shawn McGuire, 14, won first place in the Kid Chef Great American SPAM Championship at the Iowa State Fair with his SPAM Saucy Meatball Sliders.

Here's his winning recipe, as reported by the Sioux City Journal, which netted McGuire a $150 prize.

SPAM Saucy Meatball Sliders

Meatballs:

1 (12 ounce) can SPAM Classic

6 slices uncooked bacon

1/2 pound ground pork

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon salt

Sauce:

2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard

Bread:

Hawaiian Rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put the SPAM, bacon and pork in a food processor and pulse briefly to chop fine. Do not puree. Place the mixture in a large bowl with the remaining meatball ingredients and mix well to combine. Using your hands, shape mixture into balls, 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Arrange in a casserole pan. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour over meatballs. Bake for 15 minutes, baste meatballs and turn them in the pan. Continue baking another 15 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Baste occasionally with sauce. Serve on rolls, adding pan sauces on top.