BBQ Meatloaf
This is the best bbq meatloaf recipe with breadcrumbs1.5 lbs ground beef, onion soup mix and French's fried onions! It is eggless with barbecue sauce in the mix and glazed on top too so the flavor is out of control.
Wondering can we put barbecue sauce in meatloaf? We did too and how did we wait until we turned 50 to try it??? We are telling you this was an experiment where we mixed and matched all of our favorite ingredients and it came out so good we didn't even have any leftovers!
There are a few tricks to making the solid loaf we tell you. First off you need to know how long to cook meatloaf so it stays as moist as possible. We figured that out and went a step further creating the solid amount of caramelization on the top with a bit of crispy edges your family will fight over!
As for the meatloaf mix you want ALL the flavors. like our stove top stuffing meatloaf We shared how you should use something other than breadcrumbs for the binder. In this case we used about half crumbs and half fried onions! OH yes we did.
Ingredient notes
You are going to start off with the main item ground beef. Let's talk about this for a minute shall we? You do want some fat because fat=flavor and moisture. 80/20 is your best bet. Leaner than that and it will dry out, ground sausage is a bit too fatty however you could use half and half.
Yes we did use Italian breadcrumbs for some of the necessary binder. We thought it was necessary to do so or it would be too salty with crispy fried onions. We wouldn't use Panko as the texture isn't as good we don't think.
Can you use crackers instead of breadcrumbs to make meatloaf?
you can make meatloaf without breadcrumbs. You would want to crush them to a sand like texture. Ritz would be the best of the best to use so they break down easily. You would want to crush and then measure it out from there using the same amt. as listed below.
To add a ton of flavor use French's fried onions. We measured them out right out of the can and then used the back of a spoon to crush them a bit.
Can you put bbq sauce in meatloaf?
Yes that is what we suggest that you do with your bbq sauceas well as as a sauce on the top. We used this as an egg substitute for meatloaf basically. You need some moisture and this did the trick. You can use any brand/style you prefer. We used Chick Fil A in a bottle and it was excellent.
How Long to Cook BBQ Meatloaf at 400
You are going to want a total of about 50 minutes for 1-1.5 pounds of meat in the oven. With that said it will vary slightly for a few reasons. If you use a different size pan, like it more well done, or your oven is off a bit it may vary by 5-10 minutes or so.
We also want the sauce to be caramelized with a bit of crispy edges on the sides so many times we might add a few minutes to achieve that outcome. pay attention at the end to get it right for your family.
You can cook it faster with the same end result using our Ninja Foodi meatloaf temp and timing if you like. This will cut the timing to closer to 35 minutes or so.
Meatloaf Done Temp
Near the end you will want to use a meat thermometer in the center to ensure it has reached 165 degrees F. before removing from the oven. Remember that as it sits in the pan it will rise about 5 degrees so 160 is okay too.
Kitchen questions
What can you use other than a loaf pan to bake meatloaf?You don't have to use a loaf pan, it's handy to have. If you don't have one you can shape it in about the same size and thickness as if you did have one, on top of a few pieces of tinfoil. Scrunch the sides up to create “a pan” and set on top of a sheet pan to bake this way instead.
Can you use ketchup instead of bbq sauce in meatloaf?Yes, it will have a different flavor. Barbecue sauce offers a richer, sweeter flavor so that is what we recommended using. However if you don't have enough, or any, ketchup would be the best substitute for bbq sauce.
What is the best bbq sauce for meatloaf?That is totally subjective. If you like it a bit spicy we recommend using Stubbs sweet heat. Chick Fil A bbq sauce is what we use, you can buy a large bottle at the store. For the cheapest option you can typically find Sweet Baby Rays for a few dollars and they have a sweet brown sugar variety we like.
What can you make with leftovers?We have a long list of leftover meatloaf recipes on our site! You can basically break it up and use it like ground beef in spaghetti, in casseroles or our favorite way may be in chili.
BBQ Meatloaf Recipe
By This is the best bbq meatloaf recipe with breadcrumbs, ground beef, onion soup mix. Eggless with barbecue sauce in the mix and glazed on top. Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 48 minutes minsServings: 5 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×5 loaf pan
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef80/20 is best, could use 2 lbs max
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 3/4 cup fried onionscanned, French's used, crushed but measured uncrushed
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup bbq sauce 1/2 inside mix and 1/2 spread on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together everything in a bowl, leaving 1/2 cup of bbq sauce to the side to spread on top near the end.
- Dump meatloaf mixture in your pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and spread remaining barbecue sauce on the top. Continue baking with the foil removed for 20 minutes to caramelize. Remove once internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
