Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze
A loaf of beef and pork under a brown-sugar glaze and a blanket of bacon, built for a weeknight dinner with leftovers for sandwiches.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Written
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with foil.
-
Stir the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl and let sit until the crumbs have soaked up the milk, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the beef, pork, onion, garlic, eggs, 2 tbsp Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands just until combined — overworking it makes the loaf dense.
-
Turn the mixture out onto the sheet pan and shape into a tight 9-by-5-inch loaf.
-
Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking the ends underneath the loaf.
-
Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and remaining 1 tsp Worcestershire together and brush half over the bacon.
-
Bake, brushing with the remaining glaze halfway through, until the bacon is beginning to crisp and a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F, about 55 minutes.
-
Let the loaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing — it firms up as it cools and holds together better once it does.
Notes
The milk-soaked breadcrumbs are doing real work here — that panade is what keeps the loaf tender instead of turning into a dense brick once the beef and pork tighten up in the oven. Don’t skip the resting step for the same reason; slice it straight out of the oven and it falls apart.
All beef works fine if that’s what’s on hand, though the pork keeps it juicier. The leftovers are the real payoff — cold slices between two pieces of bread with extra glaze the next day are better than the dinner was.