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Classic comfort food with a Southern twist! You just can’t beat a moist and tender bbq meatloaf recipe with bold, zesty flavor. Serve it with mashed potatoes, cornbread, collard greens, or a Southern Caesar salad!
Table of Contents
Meatloaf has stood the test of time! It’s a classic family dinner that everyone at the table can agree on, made with affordable, hearty ingredients, and ready with minimal effort. Whether I serve an old-fashioned meatloaf with oatmeal, Southern-style meatloaf, muffin tin meatloaf, or this bbq meatloaf recipe, my kids have come to love the meal just as much as I do!
The Secret to Juicy Meatloaf
There are a handful of tricks to creating a juicy meatloaf recipe:
- First, use ground beef with a little bit of fat in it. I like 85% – 93% lean. Any less fat (like ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast) will result in dry meatloaf. Too much fat, and the meatloaf will be greasy. The onion and bbq sauce contribute additional moisture and flavor.
- Add day-old cornbread crumbs (or other breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or cracker crumbs) to the meatloaf mixture. The crumbs absorb (and therefore retain) more moisture in the meatloaf so that it doesn’t become dry.
- Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will be dense and mushy.
- Place a pan of warm water on the rack below the meatloaf in the oven. It’s not required, but this moist environment will prevent the meatloaf from cracking or drying out.
- Finally, use a thermometer to know when your meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 155-160°F, since over-cooking the meatloaf can yield a dry finished product.
What ingredient makes meatloaf stick together?
Eggs act as a binding agent to hold the meatloaf together. The cornbread crumbs combine with the wet ingredients (sometimes milk, but in this case bbq sauce and Worcestershire sauce) to form a panade. The panade helps to keep the meatloaf moist, and also helps the meatloaf stay together.
Ingredients for Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a juicy meatloaf recipe with bbq sauce. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce: together these two ingredients create a sweet, zesty, savory glaze that adds flavor and moisture to the inside and outside of the meatloaf. I use a thick bbq sauce like Sweet Baby Ray’s.
- Ground beef: I use 85% beef (ground round), but you can sub with a combination of ground turkey, ground pork, ground sausage, or use 2 lbs. of “meatloaf mix,” which is typically a blend of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
- Cornbread crumbs: a flavorful binder that keeps the meatloaf moist. You can use other fresh bread crumbs, oatmeal, or cracker crumbs (like saltines) if you prefer.
- Onion: adds moisture and savory flavor.
- Eggs: give the meatloaf structure and help bind it together.
- Parsley, oregano, and garlic: for extra flavor.
- Dijon mustard: adds moisture and a bit of zesty, acidic “bite.”
- Salt and black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
How to Make BBQ Meatloaf
This barbecue meatloaf recipe comes together quickly and easily with minimal prep time, and then the oven does the work! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Stir together barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine beef, cornbread crumbs, onion, eggs, parsley, Dijon, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, and ½ cup of the barbecue sauce mixture in a large bowl.
- Shape the mixture into a large rectangular loaf on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Spoon or brush the remaining sauce mixture on top.
- Bake in a 375°F oven for about 1 hour, or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Let the meatloaf rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
This classic comfort food deserves equally delicious, cozy companions! Here are a few sides that go well with bbq meatloaf:
- Party Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Baked Potato Wedges, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Easy Potato Salad, or Skin-On Mashed Red Potatoes
- Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Fried Okra or Okra and Tomatoes
- Broccoli and Cheese, Easy Broccoli Casserole, or Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- Creamed Peas
- Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole or Southern Squash Casserole
- Cornbread Stuffing or Sausage Stuffing
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Corn Sticks
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, or Drop Biscuits
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead! You can prepare the meatloaf up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, allow the meatloaf to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- How to Freeze Meatloaf: You can freeze the meatloaf before or after cooking. Wrap cooked meatloaf tightly in aluminum foil and plastic wrap (or a freezer bag) and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrapped properly, the cooked meatloaf will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days. Leftover meatloaf is great on a meatloaf sandwich!
- How to Reheat Meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the meatloaf in an oven-safe baking dish and add 1 tablespoon of beef broth or water. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until meatloaf is warmed through.
Easy Meatloaf Recipe Variations
- Instead of using a rimmed baking sheet, bake the meatloaf in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. At the end of baking, tilt the pan to drain off the grease.
- Swap out the cornbread crumbs for other fresh breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (such as saltine crackers).
- Stir some brown sugar and/or apple cider vinegar into the bbq glaze for a sweet and tangy twist.
- Substitute yellow mustard for the Dijon mustard, or use ketchup instead of bbq sauce.
- Try other herbs in addition to the parsley and oregano. Good options include rosemary, chives, parsley, and thyme. Additional barbecue seasonings would also be nice, such as paprika, chili powder, onion powder, or cumin. Try a little bit of liquid smoke to really amp up the bbq theme!
- Instead of fresh cloves of garlic, use about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Add more veggies to the meatloaf mixture, such as diced green bell peppers, grated zucchini, celery, or grated carrots. If you don’t want crisp vegetables in your finished meatloaf, you can sauté them in a skillet with butter before adding them to the beef mixture.
- Rather than using 2 lbs. of ground beef, try a 50-50 combination of ground beef and ground pork, use ground turkey, ground sausage, or try a “meatloaf mix” of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
- Like meatloaf with cheese? Add a handful of grated cheddar (or other good melting cheese) to the meatloaf mixture.
Tips for the Best BBQ Meatloaf Recipe
- Since we eat cornbread or corn muffins weekly, this is a nice way to take advantage of any stale leftovers. Try my favorite cast iron cornbread, honey cornbread, jalapeno cheddar cornbread, corn muffins, or old-fashioned corn sticks. In a pinch, you can use a store-bought mix, or purchase cornbread in the bakery at your grocery store.
- Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will become dense and mushy.
- Lean ground beef (85%-93% lean) works best in this recipe. You need some fat to keep the meatloaf moist, but you don’t want it to be too greasy. I typically use ground round (85%), but ground chuck or a combination is fine, too!
- You do not need to cover the meatloaf while it’s baking.
- You’ll know the meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F on an instant read meat thermometer and the juices run clear.
- Place a pan of warm water on the rack below the meatloaf in the oven. It’s not necessary, but this moist environment will prevent the meatloaf from cracking.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or other herbs for a bright, colorful, and flavorful finishing touch.
More Meatloaf Recipes to Try
Muffin Tin Meatloaf
45 minutes mins
Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal
1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Turkey Meatloaf
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
BBQ Meatloaf
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Tender and juicy, this BBQ meatloaf is an easy dinner with plenty of sweet, savory, and zesty flavor!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's brand)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 lbs. ground beef or meatloaf mix (a combination of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal)
- 1 cup day-old cornbread crumbs (or other breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs)
- 1 small onion, grated or very finely diced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed, grated, or minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside (or grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan if you prefer)
- In a small bowl, stir together bbq sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine ground beef, cornbread, onion, eggs, parsley, Dijon, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, and ½ cup of the bbq sauce mixture. Be careful not to mash or over-mix or the meatloaf will be dense or mushy.
- On the prepared baking sheet, shape the meat mixture into a rectangular loaf (or pat the meat into the greased loaf pan). Spread the remaining bbq sauce mixture on top.
- Bake the meatloaf for about 1 hour, until the internal temperature is 160°F and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meatloaf, will prevent the top from cracking.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Notes
- Since we eat cornbread or corn muffins weekly, this is a nice way to take advantage of any stale leftovers. Try my favorite cast iron cornbread, honey cornbread, jalapeno cheddar cornbread, corn muffins, or old-fashioned corn sticks. In a pinch, you can use a store-bought mix, or purchase cornbread in the bakery at your grocery store.
- Use your hands or a fork to gently combine the meatloaf mixture. Be careful not to over-mix the meat, or it will become dense and mushy.
- Lean ground beef (85%-93% lean) works best in this recipe. You need some fat to keep the meatloaf moist, but you don’t want it to be too greasy. I typically use ground round (85%), but ground chuck or a combination is fine, too!
- You do not need to cover the meatloaf while it’s baking.
- You’ll know the meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F on an instant read meat thermometer and the juices run clear.
- Place a pan of warm water on the rack below the meatloaf in the oven. It’s not necessary, but this moist environment will prevent the meatloaf from cracking.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or other herbs for a bright, colorful, and flavorful finishing touch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 439kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 1499mgPotassium: 730mgFiber: 2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 5mg
Love this recipe, aways get compliments.
Try adding 1 table spoon of liquid smoke, gives extra depth to the flavor.
Thank you, Mark! We’ll have to try that.