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apple bacon meatloaf

(28 ratings)
Cindy5522 avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Cindy Ferguson
@Cindy5522
Shepherdsville, KY

I did some experimenting in the kitchen today. This turned out to be a great hit with the whole family!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Bacon and apples add a wonderful, surprising twist to this already moist meatloaf. It's definitely on the sweeter side rather than the usual savory flavor of traditional meatloaf. Ground beef and Italian sausage are the base. Apple butter, chopped apples, and cinnamon apple sauce amp up the apple flavor. Instead of a ketchup glaze, this meatloaf combines apple butter and barbecue sauce for a sweeter topping to contrast the smoky bacon on top.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(28 ratings)
yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For apple bacon meatloaf

  • 1 1/2 lb
    lean ground beef
  • 1/2 lb
    Italian sausage, mild
  • 2 lg
    eggs
  • 1 c
    dried bread crumbs
  • 1 md
    sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 lg
    apple, firm, chopped
  • 12 slice
    bacon; 6 cooked and chopped, 6 uncooked
  • 1 c
    apple butter, reserve 1/2 c. for glaze
  • 1/2 c
    cinnamon applesauce
  • 6 Tbsp
    hickory barbecue sauce, reserve 3 tbs for glaze
  • salt and pepper

How To Make apple bacon meatloaf

  • Slices of white bread in the bottom of two loaf pans.
    1
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans. Line the bottom of each loaf pan with bread slices. (This will soak up any grease from the cooking meatloaf.) Set aside.
  • Meatloaf ingredients combined and placed into loaf pans.
    2
    Combine meats, eggs, bread crumbs, onion, apple, chopped bacon, apple butter, apple sauce, and barbecue sauce using your hands to mix thoroughly. Salt and pepper to your liking. Mix thoroughly. Separate and put into loaf pans.
  • Apple butter and barbecue sauce combined and brushed onto the meatloaf.
    3
    Mix the rest of the apple butter and barbecue sauce to make the glaze. Spread over top of the meatloaf mixture.
  • Slices of bacon on the meatloaf.
    4
    Place 3 slices of uncooked bacon on each loaf.
  • Baking the Apple Bacon Meatloaf.
    5
    Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour until cooked through. Switch oven to broil setting. Broil for 10 minutes or until the bacon on top is crisp. Let the meatloaf rest before moving to a serving plate. (Remember, the bread is not for eating. It is soaked with grease. Just discard.)
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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