Easy Homemade Meatloaf with BBQ Glaze

Easy Homemade Meatloaf with BBQ Glaze

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There’s something about a homemade meatloaf that just feels like dinner at home. This version is packed with flavor from sautéed onion, carrot and celery, plus garlic and plenty of herbs. I sauté the vegetables first so they’re tender before they ever go into the meatloaf.

And then there’s the glaze! Instead of topping this meatloaf with plain ketchup, I mix ketchup with brown mustard and brown sugar for a simple BBQ-style glaze that turns sweet, tangy and beautifully glossy as it bakes.

It’s an easy, satisfying dinner for a busy weeknight, but it’s every bit as good for a Sunday family meal. And if you happen to have leftovers, I certainly wouldn’t complain about a meatloaf sandwich the next day.

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Servings: 8

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

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Meatloaf Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• ½ medium onion diced
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 1 large carrot shredded on box grater
• ½ C plain panko breadcrumbs
• ½ C milk
• 2 eggs lightly whisked
• ½ C ketchup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 T dried parsley
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. dried rosemary
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp. dried dill

BBQ Glaze Ingredients

• ¾ C ketchup
• ¼ C brown mustard
• ¼ C light brown sugar

Method

 

Meatloaf Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Put two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté your onions, carrots and celery until tender about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Place the breadcrumbs and milk in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. You can now add your cooled veggies and the rest of your ingredients: ground beef, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, dill, salt and black pepper. Mix all till combined.
4. Place the meatloaf mix onto the prepared sheet pan and shape into one large loaf. Top with the BBQ sauce.
5. Place the sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 1 hour to one hour and 15 minutes. The meat should be cooked through, and the internal temperature should reach 160 degrees. Let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
6. Note: my meatloaf was cooked perfectly at one hour.

BBQ Glaze Instructions

1. Mix all the above ingredients in a small bowl and then top the meatloaf before baking.

Video

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Why Sauté the Vegetables First?

I use onion, celery and shredded carrot in this meatloaf, but I don’t add them raw. Giving the vegetables 7–8 minutes in a skillet first makes them tender and brings out their flavor before they’re mixed with the ground beef.

An Easy Homemade BBQ Glaze

The glaze may be my favorite part. It takes only three ingredients—ketchup, brown mustard and light brown sugar. Spread it over the meatloaf before baking and it develops into a sweet and tangy topping that pairs perfectly with the savory beef and herbs.

How Do You Know When Meatloaf Is Done?

Bake the meatloaf at 350°F until the center reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Depending on your oven and the shape of your loaf, that should take about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Mine was perfectly cooked at exactly one hour, so I recommend checking the temperature at that point rather than automatically leaving it in longer.

Once it comes out of the oven, give it 5–10 minutes to rest before slicing. That short rest makes it easier to cut into nice slices for serving.

What to Serve with Homemade Meatloaf

This is classic comfort food, so it pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes and a simple vegetable or salad. It’s also a great recipe when you want something hearty enough to feed the family without making dinner complicated.

And don’t overlook the leftovers. A thick slice of cold or reheated meatloaf makes one terrific sandwich the next day.

Watch Dr. J Prepare Homemade Meatloaf

Click the button to watch Dr. J put this dish together.