Southern Meatloaf Recipe (Bacon Wrapped)

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Southern meatloaf with smoky bacon and savory barbecue sauce – a simple meatloaf to make, moist and delicious, quick to prep for the oven, and special enough for company. Plus, the added broccoli provides extra texture, flavor, and nutrition.

One of the keys to this moist and flavorful bacon wrapped Southern meatloaf, is the addition of the sauteed vegetables and the milk-soaked bread. Add to that the smoky bacon and barbecue sauce – OH SO YUMMY!

Making Southern Barbecue Meatloaf

In a large skillet, add bacon fat (or other fat of choice), onions, garlic, and broccoli and cook on medium until veggies are softened (10-15 minutes). Let cool a bit after cooking.

In a small bowl, break up bread in small pieces. Pour milk over bread until just to the top of the bread. Let soak while mixing other ingredients. Meanwhile, while bread is soaking and veggies are cooking, crack eggs into large mixing bowl and beat with a fork or whisk.

Add ground beef, pork, oregano, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and mix well with your hands to incorporate. Add soaked bread to meat mixture and blend in with hands. Add warm veggies to meat mixture and incorporate thoroughly.

In a large un-greased 13 x 9 casserole dish, place the meat mixture and form into a long loaf, taking care to form it evenly in height along its length (for even cooking). Position bacon strips across meatloaf cross-wise and tuck under to secure.

Place casserole dish in the oven and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 160 F in several middle spots of the loaf. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with BBQ sauce.

Old Fashioned Meatloaf

… as good as it gets! With bacon, barbecue sauce, broccoli – delicious AND nutritious! Try it and lemme know what you think!

Enjoy with a side salad, side vegetable, and bread of choice. My Southern biscuits go with everything!

Goes perfectly with my Creamed Sweetcorn or my Green Beans Aldmondine! Also great served with a cup or bowl of my easy, cheesy Crock Pot Potato Soup.

Hope you enjoy this moist, satisfying bacon meatloaf as much as my family and I do! Bon appetite, ya’ll!

You may also love my Spaghetti Bolognaise recipe – simple yet so delicious pasta sauce!

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Southern Meatloaf Recipe (Bacon Wrapped)

Southern meatloaf with smoky bacon and savory barbecue sauce – easy to
make, moist and delicious, quick to prep for the oven, and special
enough for company.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Resting Time10 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Savory With Soul

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp bacon fat or olive oil
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1-1/2 to 2 cups)
• 2 Tbs garlic, minced
• 2 slices bread (heels are fine – that's what I used)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pound ground beef (80% lean)
• 1 pound ground pork (or another pound of ground beef)
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp dry ground oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 7 strips bacon, uncooked

BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp paprika

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• In a large skillet, add bacon fat (or other fat of choice), onions, garlic, and broccoli and cook on medium until veggies are softened (10-15 minutes). Let cool a bit after cooking.
• In a small bowl, break up bread in small pieces. Pour milk over bread until just to the top of the bread. Let soak while mixing other ingredients.
• Meanwhile, while bread is soaking and veggies are cooking, crack eggs into large mixing bowl and beat with a fork or whisk.
• Add ground beef, pork, oregano, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and mix well with your hands to incorporate.
• Add soaked bread to meat mixture and blend in with hands.
• Add warm veggies to meat mixture and incorporate thoroughly.
• In a large ungreased 13 x 9 casserole dish, place the meat mixture and form into a long loaf, taking care to form it evenly in height along its length (for even cooking).
• Position bacon strips across meatloaf cross-wise and tuck under to secure.
• Place casserole dish in the oven and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 160 F in several middle spots of the loaf. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with BBQ sauce.