Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

Meatloaf can be a super controversial meal. I have made this a few times and each time I have felt like something could be better. This was the time I nailed it!

Most people seemed to really dislike meatloaf because of the texture and the "ketchup icing". Those were the things I kept in mind when I created this. I made my ketchup into a sauce, kind of a bbq sauce if you may. I also made sure to use breadcrumb and as little as I possibly could to help with the texture everyone disliked.

This recipe was a success, considering I was able to change someones whole opinion on meatloaf and that was just a huge win for me. BEHOLD. My delicious take on meatloaf!! Enjoy y'all! And make sure you like this post and let me know what

caught your attention in the comments!!

Ingredients

for the meatloaf topping

• 1/2 c. ketchup

• 1/4 c. brown sugar

• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp. siracha sauce

for the meatloaf

• 1/4 c. whole milk

• 1/2 c. your favorite bbq sauce

• 4 eggs

• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tbsp. minced garlic

• 1 tbsp. hamburger seasoning

• 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

• 1 tsp. each salt and pepper

• 2 lbs. ground beef

• 1/2 small white onion, finely diced

• 3/4 c. breadcrumb

• 8-10 slices thick-cut bacon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, bbq sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and seasonings.

3. Add meat, onions and breadcrumb. Mix with your hands until well combined.

4. Line a wire rack with foil and poke holes into it. Place the rack on a large baking sheet. Form your mixture into a loaf and place on the rack.

5. Lay your slices of bacon over the top, tucking them underneath the loaf to give it some support.

6. Bake for 35 minutes, then increase the heat and broil for 5 minutes, until the bacon starts to become crispy.

7. to make the sauce: combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

8. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread your sauce on top, with a brush, evenly.

9. Lower your temperature back down to 400°F and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The sauce should be sticky on top by the end of cook time, if not, broil it for another 2-3 minutes.

10. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

11. We served ours with green beans and my nana's homemade mash.

Tips & Tricks

• For options other than breadcrumb, try rice or even saltine crackers! This was a suggestion I plan on trying to use.

• Also suggested to me: For those who prefer not to use fresh onions, substitute for 3 tbsp. of onion powder.

• I made my own sauce to avoid the "ketchup flavor" some people said they didn't like, but you can of course use only ketchup if that is what you prefer.

• If you are like me and prefer crispy bacon, bake it for 40 minutes and then broil for 10, but make sure you keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn.

• My favorite suggestion, was to stuff the loaf with mashed potatoes. While I did not try it this time, now that I have perfected my recipe, I will try it next time!!