Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with a Brown Sugar Glaze
Posted: 09/09/21
Updated: 11/21/22
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Easy, delicious bacon wrapped meatloaf is the dish you didn’t know you were missing! Savory and sweet, this take on a classic comfort food is mouth-wateringly good. Serve with mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower) for a dinner the whole family will love.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Comfort food – but make it better. This recipe enhances that classic meatloaf we all know and love with one simple twist. The bacon adds a delicious, smoky savoriness to the already tasty meatloaf and the sweet glaze.
- It’s as easy as making a traditional meatloaf! No, really. Wrapping the bacon is an extra step, but it takes virtually no time at all. The cook time for bacon wrapped meatloaf is the same as regular meatloaf, too!
- The leftovers are just as delicious as the first day! As long as you refrigerate them in an airtight container, any bacon wrapped meatloaf leftovers will keep up to 5 days. Just reheat the slices in the oven to keep the bacon texture nice.
More Delicious Meatloaf Recipes
Key Ingredients
Ground Beef – Lean ground beef works best here. I’ve found that it gives you the best texture and flavor, plus it helps offset the fat from the bacon. Ground turkey will also work in this bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe, or you can use a combination or beef and turkey!
Bacon – Keep in mind that you’re cooking the bacon AND the meatloaf at the same time. In order to make sure everything cooks completely (and evenly) I recommend using regular bacon here, as opposed to thick cut bacon. The thick cut can take longer to cook, and you run the risk of the meatloaf drying out.
Breadcrumbs – You can’t go wrong with plain breadcrumbs, but sometimes a little extra flavor is nice. Try using Italian breadcrumbs in your bacon wrapped meatloaf! They go really well with the ketchup glaze.
Chef’s Tips
- Skip the loaf pan! Since we’re wrapping the bacon around the meatloaf, we’re going to use a baking sheet instead. Trust me, it’s way easier this way. The meatloaf will maintain that loaf shape as it bakes, and you’ll never know the difference!
- Start checking the meatloaf after 45 minutes. You may find that in your oven, it doesn’t need the whole hour to cook. If the top is browning too quickly, cover the meatloaf with foil to retain some of the heat and help the inside of the meatloaf cook.
- Note that the bacon won’t crisp up the same way it would when you pan fry it! If you want a crispier finish, place the bacon wrapped meatloaf under the broiler for a few minutes toward the end of the cook time. Be careful not to overcook it or burn the glaze!
Try These Tasty Recipes, Too!
- Marry Me Chicken
- Keto Meatloaf
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers
- Whole30 Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato Bowl with Gravy
- Southwestern Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Garlic Aioli
- Buffalo Burgers with an Easy Burger Sauce
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with a Brown Sugar Glaze
Easy, delicious bacon wrapped meatloaf is the dish you didn't know you were missing! Savory and sweet, this take on a classic comfort food is mouth-wateringly good. Serve with mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower) for a dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
For the Glaze
- ¼ cup ketchup see Notes
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar see Notes
For the Meatloaf
- 2 pounds ground beef lean preferred
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- ½ of one green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup milk see Notes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup breadcrumbs see Notes
- 2 large eggs
- 10-12 slices bacon uncooked
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Cooking spray
- Small bowl & whisk
- Large bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. In small bowl, whisk together ketchup and brown sugar to make glaze, then set aside.
- In large bowl, mix together ground beef, diced onion, diced bell pepper, garlic, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and eggs with your hands until just combined.
- Transfer meatloaf mixture to baking sheet and mold mixture into loaf shape. It should be roughly the size and shape of standard loaf pans, which are typically 8 inches long by 4 inches wide. Spread glaze over top of uncooked meatloaf, coating evenly.
- One by one, wrap each piece of bacon over top of loaf, placing each strip horizontally across width of loaf. Tuck ends of bacon strips under loaf. Brush with additional glaze if desired.
- Place baking sheet in oven. Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 1 hour or until meatloaf reaches internal temperature of 160° Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature will continue rising during that time. After 5 minutes, slice loaf and serve with desired sides.
Notes
- Make it Keto: Use a keto-friendly ketchup (or make your own) and Brown Swerve for the glaze. In the meatloaf, swap out breadcrumbs for crushed pork rinds, and use a low carb milk. You can skip the diced onion to save 1-2 carbs per serving. Use a little onion powder if you want to maintain that flavor. Note that Worcestershire sauce does contain a little sugar, so this recipe won’t be 100% sugar-free.
- Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- Make it Dairy Free: Use an unsweetened non-dairy milk.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 393kcal, Protein: 29g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 139mg, Sodium: 855mg, Potassium: 539mg, Total Carbs: 13g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Net Carbs: 12g, Vitamin A: 163IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 3mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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