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Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is a dressed up version of a favorite comfort food. Lightly seasoned and covered with bacon and a delicious ketchup balsamic glaze it is a fun twist on a classic dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
- It’s pure comfort food! I grew up eating meatloaf so it is a comfort food for me. The best part of having meatloaf for dinner though was having a meatloaf sandwich the next day! My 90 year old mother’s favorite meal is still meatloaf and she makes it regularly.
- Bacon makes everything better. The addition of bacon takes a traditional meatloaf up a notch or two. I find that meatloaf often has a bad reputation but, made correctly, meatloaf is amazing comfort food. I always make my mom’s meatloaf recipes and it is the basis for today’s bacon wrapped meatloaf. It’s the best meatloaf recipe!
Ingredients Needed
- Hamburger. I like to use a 90/10 hamburger so that I don’t have too much grease cooking off the meatloaf. You can add in some ground pork, ground chicken or ground turkey if you like.
- Seasoning. I always use salt and pepper and some Italian Seasoning. I also use mayo, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup.
- Breadcrumbs. Use regular dry breadcrumbs or panko crumbs. If you use seasoned breadcrumbs, just leave the Italian seasoning out.
- Eggs. These act as a binder for the meatloaf and hold all the ingredients together. They prevent the meatloaf from falling apart.
- Bacon. Use a thin cut bacon so that it cooks completely, evenly and gets crisp.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
- Place all meatloaf ingredients except for the bacon and Ketchup Glaze ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until combined well
- Form meat mixture into a loaf and place it on a broiler pan. The grease that cooks off will drain through the broiler pan and your meatloaf won’t be sitting in it’s own fat as it cooks
- Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.
How To Make Ketchup Gravy
- This is the best part of the meatloaf as far as I’m concerned. Ketchup Glaze is a mixture of ketchup, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. It is used as a topping on the meatloaf and is delish!
- Pour the ketchup into a small bowl, add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
- Stir the mixture until well combined.
- Add a thin layer of ketchup gravy to the shaped meatloaf.
- Wrap meatloaf with thin slices of bacon covering the entire meatloaf but not overlapping the bacon. Tuck the ends of the bacon under the meatloaf. The thin bacon will cook quicker than a thick cut bacon.
- Add another light layer of the ketchup glaze over the top of the bacon.
- Bake the meatloaf at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cover with the remaining ketchup mixture.
- Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. and bake for another 12-15 minutes until ketchup glaze as set up. If the bacon appears to be burning, cover the top of the meatloaf with foil.Â
- Cook to desired temperature, I cook mine to about 155 degrees F. I always use my favorite Therma Pen meat thermometer to check the temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of a broiler pan?
Place an oven safe baking rack onto a baking sheet and place the meatloaf onto the baking rack. You could also line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meatloaf on that.
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Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is a dressed up version of a favorite comfort food. Lightly seasoned and covered with bacon and a delicious ketchup balsamic glaze it is a fun twist on a classic dish.
Prep:30 minutes
Cook:1 hour
Total:1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
Meatloaf Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef extra lean
- 4 tsp garlic
- 2 Tbsp minced dried onion
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8-10 thin bacon slices
Meatloaf Glaze
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place all meatloaf ingredients except for the bacon and Ketchup Glaze ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.
- With clean hands, mix the ingredients until combined well
- Form the mixture into a loaf shape and place on a broiler pan, this will allow the fat from the meat to drain
- Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf
- Make the tomato gravy
- Pour the ketchup into a small bowl, add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar
- Stir the mixture until well combined
- Brush a light coating of ketchup glaze over meatloaf. Add strips of bacon in a single layer, not overlapping. Brush with another light coat of tomato gravy.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with remaining ketchup glaze. Increase heat of oven to 400 degrees F. and bake for another 15-20 minutes of until internal temperature reaches 155-160 degrees F.
Tips & Notes:
If you don’t have a roasting pan, place an oven safe baking rack onto a baking sheet and place the meatloaf onto the baking rack. You could also line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meatloaf on that.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 478kcal (24%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 29g (58%) Fat: 30g (46%) Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) Cholesterol: 176mg (59%) Sodium: 1086mg (47%) Potassium: 546mg (16%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 20g (22%) Vitamin A: 507IU (10%) Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) Calcium: 220mg (22%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Originally published on February 5, 2010
Anh says
I thought I was the only one with a scarred experience with meatloaf. About 2 decades ago, a guy from church who had a crush on my sister, came over to our apartment to cook her a Valentine’s Day dinner. It was meatloaf, I was excited to try it since I have never had it. OMGosh, it was undercooked and I cook not look at meatloaf again for years. Just a couple of years ago, I conquered my fear and tried out Paula Deen’s meatloaf recipe. My husband loved it and I have been using that recipe ever since. I’m loving your website and can’t wait to try out your enchilada and spanish rice recipes as well as your chocolate chip ~ although with the recall on the eggs right now, I must resist the urge to eat the dough raw and can’t let my young children do it either. Thank you and I’m so glad a friend introduced me to your website.
Meg says
I just made one and popped it in the fridge for later. I couldn’t believe how quick and easy. My meatloaf is usually such a chore! It’s beautiful and I can’t wait to taste it!
Cristine says
I tried this meatloaf out last night, and it was a little too bland for us. We loved the bacon on the top, and the ketchup gravy was so great! My favorite meatloaf recipe is the one on the box of Lipton Beef Onion soup packets! Thanks for the great recipes! We love trying them out!
Zupan's Markets says
This does look like it’s worth a try. Zupan’s has some delicious handmade meatloaf on days that you don’t want to go to the labor of making it on your own, but we’d like to pass this recipe onto our readers as well!
Valerie H. says
Oh, you are just to funny about that old grey meatloaf!!! Yuck!
I haven’t tried Pioneer Woman’s meatloaf recipe yet but I have tried
Pastor Ryan’s that she (PW) had showcased on her website. It was good.
I’ll have to give this one a try too. Glad you got over your phobia!