BA's Best Beef-and-Bacon Meatloaf

Name: BA's Best Beef-and-Bacon Meatloaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; ¾ cup ketchup; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth; ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped; 2 large eggs; ⅔ cup fine breadcrumbs; ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 pounds ground beef chuck (15% fat); 6 thin strips bacon

Recipe GLPR29462f1e50a049

Rate this recipe

American

Main Course

110 min

348 cal

Servings: 8

Oven

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A savory and slightly sweet meatloaf made with ground beef chuck, fresh herbs, and Parmesan, topped with a tangy ketchup-vinegar glaze and woven bacon strips. The parsley-broth mixture keeps the loaf moist and tender while it bakes until golden, creating a classic comfort-food centerpiece for any dinner table.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

¾ cup ketchup

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 large eggs

⅔ cup fine breadcrumbs

½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds ground beef chuck (15% fat)

6 thin strips bacon

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then top with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the grated onion and chopped garlic, stirring occasionally, until very soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
In a small saucepan, bring the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes slightly thickened and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
Transfer 2 tablespoons of the cooked ketchup mixture to a blender. Add the chicken broth and fresh parsley, and blend until completely smooth. Set the remaining ketchup mixture aside.
Add the blended broth mixture, eggs, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl with the onion and garlic. Mix gently with a spoon until just combined.
Add the ground beef to the mixture and combine everything thoroughly using your hands, being careful not to overmix. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a long log approximately 12 inches long and 5 inches wide, smoothing the top surface.
Spread the reserved ketchup mixture evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Drape the bacon strips in a crisscross pattern over the loaf, tucking the ends underneath.
Bake for 70 to 80 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf registers 165°F and the bacon is crisp.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

This meatloaf lands solidly in weeknight territory: every ingredient is standard stock at any Charlotte grocer, and at roughly $1.20 per serving it rewards the oven time without breaking the budget. The stated 110 minutes is honest—about 20 minutes of active prep (onion, garlic, breadcrumb mixture), then unattended baking—making it a set-it-and-forget-it dish for families. Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the bacon-ketchup-vinegar glaze stays moist on day two, though the real edge here is that it feeds eight and suits North Carolina palates without apology: this is comfort food that doesn't demand a special trip or fussy technique.