Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Cheeseburger meatloaf is the perfect family dinner that oozes with flavor from a juicy meat mixture, melted cheddar cheese, and smothered with BBQ sauce. This is one dinner you will make again and again.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 1021kcal
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lb ground beef lean
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce divided
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F, spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium pan, cook the bacon until almost crispy, then remove to drain on a plate.
- Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon grease until softened, then also remove to a plate to cool.
- Put the ground beef in a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, salt and pepper, worchestershire, dijon, bread crumbs, the bacon, onions, garlic and about ⅔ of the bbq sauce. Mix together well until completely combined, then spread about ½ of the mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan. Make an indentation in the middle of the beef leaving a 1 inch rim of meat all around. Fill it with the cheddar, then pack the remaining meat over the top, pushing down lightly to seal.
- Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, then remove and brush on the remaining bbq sauce. Return to the oven for another 15 - 20 minutes, or until no longer pink - an instant read thermometer should read 160° F.
- Let it rest for about 10 - 15 minutes, then slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
Resting period
The cheeseburger meatloaf needs to rest for 15 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to settle. It also makes it easier to carve a slice without it falling apart because meatloaf starts to firm as it cools.
Don't over-mix
Combine the mixture with your hands until it comes together in a ball, then stop mixing. If you mix it too much, it will become too dense.
Check the internal temperature.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatloaf after 45 minutes of cooking. You don't want the temperature to go above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, or it will become dry.
Baking the cheeseburger meatloaf
If you don't have a loaf pan to form the meatloaf, you can use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to lay the meatloaf mixture on, then form it into a boat shape, place the cheese in the middle, and encase it with the remaining meatloaf mixture.