I really wasn’t a fan of meat loaf until I tried this Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf! This recipe takes a classic comfort food and makes it even better with a smoky bacon wrap and a sweet, tangy glaze. The flavor is bold, the texture is tender, and every bite has that perfect balance of savory and sweet. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but special enough to serve guests. Pair it with your favorite sides, and you’ve got a hearty meal everyone will love.
Ingredients Needed
- Glaze
- chili sauce – you could also substitute ketchup, but I liked chili sauce
- brown sugar
- cider vinegar – you could also use white vinegar in a pinch
- Meat Loaf
- vegetable oil
- onion
- garlic
- eggs
- dried thyme
- salt
- black pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce
- plain yogurt – you could also use whole milk. This is an important ingredient, as it adds a ton of moisture.
- ground beef chuck
- ground pork
- ground veal – the original recipe called for veal, but I opted to use more pork instead
- Saltine crackers, or quick oatmeal, or fresh bread crumbs. I used saltines and it works great!
- fresh parsley
- bacon – thin sliced
- You’ll also want a large baking sheet, not a loaf pan!
How to Make Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Glaze: simmer glaze ingredients in a saucepan until slightly thickened; set aside.
- Prep meat mixture: sauté onion and garlic until softened, then mix with ground meat, eggs, seasonings, crackers, and parsley until combined.
- Shape loaf: form into a loaf on a foil-lined sheet pan, brush with glaze, and cover with overlapping strips of bacon. Note: Do not use a loaf pan! In other words, ignore my photos haha. I was trying to use a pretty pan for photos and then I realized I needed to actually switch it before baking. Do as I say, not as I do.
- Bake: cook until bacon is crisp and meat reaches 160°F, about 1 hour.
- Finish and serve: let rest briefly, reheat remaining glaze, brush over loaf if desired, and slice to serve with extra sauce.
Storage & Other Tips
- I always recommend reheating meatloaf in the oven if you can. Cover meatloaf with foil, then warm in a 325°F oven for 20 – 30 minutes. You can also reheat an individual piece in a skillet on the stovetop. I try to avoid the microwave, as it tends to dry it out. If you do choose a microwave, do it at a reduced power in short intervals.
- This is a great make-ahead meal. You can mix it, shape it, wrap it with bacon, and refrigerate overnight. When ready, just bake according to the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze it, and how?
Yes! It freezes beautifully, either wrapped in tin foil, or even unbaked.
How do I prevent the loaf from drying out or cracking?
The bacon really helps with this! You can also avoid over-mixing the meat.
Can I bake this in a regular loaf pan?
Short answer, no. Just don’t. Three reasons off the top of my head: first, the bacon won’t crisp properly. Second, baking it on a baking sheet rather than a loaf pan allows the juices to run off the meatloaf, so you avoid that unappetizing fat-layer floating on top. Third, baking it in a loaf pan tends to boil it rather than bake it, so the texture and flavor are nowhere near as good. I hope that’s enough evidence for you…just don’t do it!
Any tips for moisture? I hated dry meatloaf as a kid.
Didn’t we all. The main problems that cause this are over-mixing and over-baking, so as long as you don’t do either of those things, you’ll be all good.
Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf
A juicy meat loaf gets wrapped in smoky bacon and brushed with a tangy-sweet glaze. This is a melt-in-your-mouth dinner that's both comforting and impressive. Inspiration from America's Test Kitchen.
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Glaze (If you'd like extra sauce for serving, double this!)
- ½ cup chili sauce or substitute ketchup, but I liked chili sauce
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons cider vinegar or white vinegar in a pinch
Meat Loaf
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, medium chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 eggs, large
- ½ teaspoon thyme, dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ cup plain yogurt or whole milk
- 1 pound beef chuck, ground
- ½ pound pork, ground
- ½ pound veal, ground I used more pork instead of veal
- ⅔ cup Saltine crackers crushed (about 18), or quick oatmeal, or 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup parsley, fresh minced
- 6 – 8 ounces bacon thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)
Instructions
Glaze
- Mix all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened and set aside. Note: I like to double the sauce so I have extra for serving over the finished meatloaf, but that's optional. If you choose to double the sauce, remove half of it after simmering and place in a separate container to save for serving.
Meat Loaf
- Heat oven to 350℉. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment for easy clean-up Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
- Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)
- Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on your prepared baking pan. Brush with half the glaze in your sauce pan, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf.
- Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. When meatloaf comes out of the oven, brush with remaining glaze. Cool 10-15 minutes. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze (if you doubled it).
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Sodium: 995mg, Potassium: 280mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 412IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 208kcal
Cost: $10
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
I have always hated meatloaf. Growing up I didn’t usually have to finish what was on my plate to be excused from the table, just usually had to try a few bits of everything, and so long as I ate healthy food, I could go, but OCCASIONALLY, one parent or the other would get all works up and a big struggle ensued. So it w the Halloween of my 10th year.
Dad, “its ground beef, you like ground beef, how can you not like meatloaf”
Me, “I don’t like ground beef, I just tolerate when it’s smothered. In spaghetti sauce or a bun”
Dad, “well, your mother smothered this in sauce especially for you, now eat your meatloaf”‘
Me, “I hate the sauce, it’s all ketchupy”
dad, “you love ketchup”
Me, “not cooked ketchup”
Dad, (really frustrated now) no getting down from the table till you FINISH your meatloaf!”
Well, as I have mentioned, it was halloween, how long could he keep me there? Turns out he thought this was the perfect night to ‘motivate’ me, hard to go trick or treating when you can’t get down from the table. But I was pretty stubborn and I’d already eaten my green beans, ny tolerance for eating foods I didnt care for had reached it’s max, so I sat there, figuring for sure he’d cave, I was pretty adamant I was not eating that meatloaf. maybe it was all the candy i’d already eaten that day, maybe it was the only thing worse than forced meatloaf at dinner was forced cold meatloaf later on, but I wasn’t budging, and to save face, and any chance at credibility ever again, neither was Dad.
Long story short, I missed trick or treating that year, and have never felt compelled to try meatloaf ever again. … Until now,
I’ve made it before, many times in my married life actually, (well and by many I mean maybe a dozen in 25 yrs) my husband LOVES meatloaf, and to my surprise, so do our kids (traitors)
But his, this sounds like something I could get behind. (yes, you had me at bacon) and maybe if I actually bake it, not boil it in it’s own nasty juices in a loaf pan, it will be something I can eat.
(btw, I’ve never actually used a meatloaf recipe before, I just thought it was ground meat, some seasoning, an egg some crumbs, how could you go wrong)
I think I will try this this Oct 31st! I let you know if in was allowed to leave the table before bedtime!
🙂
Our family LOVES this recipe! My 8 year old son chose it for his birthday dinner and it was a hit with the entire family. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Made this meatloaf tonight to use up some ground beef and pork sausage that I had to use up. It was DELICIOUS!! I will definitely be making it again and again. Only thing was, I didn’t have chili sauce, so I used the asian variety. HOLY MOLY!! It was a little spicey. I’m glad I tasted it before I put it onto the meatloaf. I used it sparingly and it was still good. Next time, I’ll use the correct kind. Thanks!!
best thing ever! my sister is picky. she had 3 servings before even leaving the kitchen!!!
Oh my goodness, where have you two been been all my life! I am just facinated with your blog, I havent stopped reading it since I found it, and when I go to the states this year I am going to buy your book for sure! This recipe is perfect for Father’s Day and I think my husband will just flip when he tries it! I love how all your recipes have a unique twist! Question though about the meatloaf, what happens if you just use all beef and no pork?
So glad you found us Crystal!
The pork adds a soft texture to the overall mix, but you could definitely use all beef. Check out the note in the post, the test kitchens suggested adding a bit of gelatin to the mix if you’re using all beef. Interesting, but it totally works!
Made this for the second time tonight! My husband can’t wait to get home, says he’s been thinking about this meatloaf all day. I made twice the meat mixture and froze half so all I have to do the next time is thaw, make the glaze and freeze it. Can’t wait for dinner. I am now a meatloaf convert!
I found your book at Costco and it looked amazing, so I thought I’d come and check the website out, too. And I have to tell you that everything on your site I’ve seen so far looks awesome. Especially this meatloaf! I have always liked meatloaf, but I got bored of it and quit making it. I totally agree about the boiling in the loaf pan thing. I always pull the pan out and drain it a couple times throughout the cooking process. This looks so much better, though! I think I’ll make it for Sunday dinner tomorrow! Sorry, I have to go! I need to get to the store!!!
Thanks for the great recipe! My hubby always loves meatloaf, since he was away this week I thought I would try this one out as his “welcome home” dinner. He thought it/I was awesome! Thanks SO much! (I also whipped up some of your no-bake Reese’s bars b/c he had to take treats to a meeting tonight, thanks again!) You guys are awesome!
my meatloaf is in the oven…can’t wait to try it. We like meatloaf at our house as long as there is NO ketchup! I generally cook it with cream of mushroom soup that has some worcestershire and teriyaki sauce in it. My family loves bacon so we decided this had to be tried!
I made this last night and it was a hit!! I have four kids (ages 8 to 3) and they all loved it. I was a little dubious of the thyme but it was great and the sweet glaze really went well with the earthiness of the thyme. I used pork instead of veal, center cut bacon instead of regular. There were several options for binder. I used oats that I ran through my chopper. I have another recipe that used oatmeal for its binder and really like it plus whole grains – woo hoo! WW ladies – I put this through the WW Recipe Builder and came up with 9 Points Plus per serving (I figured 8 servings) – may even be lower b/c I found lower fat ground pork at my grocery and WW database just had regular ground pork. The only change I would make to this recipe is a little more glaze. I didn’t have any leftover to pass with the meatloaf. This recipe is going into regular rotation in our house. Thanks so much OBB!!!