Listen, I know what you’re thinking – another meatloaf recipe? But truly, this isn’t your grandma’s dry, crumbly meatloaf. This meatloaf with barbecue sauce is incredibly juicy, packed with flavor, and topped with a sweet, tangy barbecue glaze that’ll have everyone asking for seconds. Combining beef and pork creates the perfect texture, while the BBQ sauce adds a delicious twist to the classic.
Everyone needs some easy dinner recipes to pull out when you don’t feel like cooking, but your family still needs to eat.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
The great thing about this recipe is that once you have these basics covered, the rest of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry. For the ground beef, go for 80-85% lean – you need some fat for flavor and moisture. Anything leaner will give you a drier result. And the pork is non-negotiable here! It helps keep everything juicy. Use whatever your favorite barbecue sauce is. I’m partial to my homemade canned barbecue sauce, but any good-quality BBQ sauce will work.
We’re using two pans here – a 9×5 loaf pan just to shape, and a 9×13 dish we will actually bake in. The technique might seem weird but just go with it. You’ll see how easy it makes the whole process.
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This makes 1 loaf with about 6 servings. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- 9×5 bread loaf pan
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 pound ground beef 80-85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork 80-85% lean
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
How to Make Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce
I discovered this genius shaping technique in an old Williams Sonoma cookbook years ago, and it completely changed how I make meatloaf.
Step One: Mix
Heat your oven to 350 and grease up a 9×13 pan. That’s your workspace.
Dump everything – both meats, oats, barbecue sauce, eggs, Worcestershire, mustard, and all the seasonings – into a big bowl. Now here’s the thing: use your HANDS. Yep, get messy. Mix it gently until it all comes together, but don’t go crazy with it. Over-mixing makes tough meatloaf and nobody wants that.
Step Two: The Smart Shaping Trick
This is my favorite part. Take a 9×5 loaf pan and rinse it with water – don’t dry it. Pack your meat mixture in there, then flip the whole thing upside down into your greased 9×13 pan. Give it a little shake and the meatloaf pops right out, perfectly shaped.
Step Three: Bake It
Bake it in the oven for an hour. You’re looking for 160 degrees inside – use a meat thermometer if you have one.
Step Four: The Glaze
About 15 minutes before it’s done, mix honey with barbecue sauce. Pull the meatloaf out and brush this all over the top and sides. Back in the oven to finish up.
Step Five: Rest and Slice
Let it sit for 10 minutes when it comes out. I know you’re hungry, but this step matters – it’ll slice so much better and won’t fall apart on you.
Serving & Storing
Serve with a side of mashed potatoes for a Sunday dinner. You can also use your leftovers for a sandwich on brioche burger buns (make sure to add extra BBQ sauce).
Store your leftovers wrapped tightly in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
When you want to reheat, wrap the slice in foil with a splash of broth and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Questions and Troubleshooting
No worries! You can shape it by hand into a loaf about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide.
Two likely culprits: either it was over-mixed (making it tough) or under-mixed (making it crumbly). Also, don’t skip the rest time after it cooks!
While you can, I don’t recommend it. The pork adds moisture and a richer flavor that makes this recipe unique. If you must use all beef, go for a slightly fattier grind (around 80% lean) to keep it juicy.
This is usually from using meat that’s too lean or overcooked. Make sure you’re using the recommended fat content in your meats, and always use that meat thermometer!
Yes! Small cracks are normal and actually create perfect spaces for the BBQ glaze to seep in.
More Favorite Barbecue Recipes
- This apricot barbecue sauce tastes amazing with ribs!
- Crockpot barbecue chicken thighs are a simple and filling dinner.
- Crockpot barbecue beans is easy and budget-friendly.
- I LOVE this southwest barbecue chicken salad. You will too!
Printable Recipe
Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- 9×5 bread loaf pan
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 pound ground beef 80-85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork 80-85% lean
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
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Instructions
- Prep oven and baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan.
- Mix ingredients. Add the beef, pork, oats, barbecue sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients until they are well incorporated and the meatloaf starts to come together. Do not over-mix.
- Shape and place in pan. Rinse a 9×5 bread loaf pan with water and gently pack the meat mixture into the wet pan. Turn the pan upside down and empty the meatloaf into the prepared 9×13 pan. You can also shape the loaf with your hands if you prefer.
- Bake. Bake the meatloaf for 60 minutes or until the meatloaf has reached an internal temperature of 160℉.
- Make and add sauce. Whisk together the barbecue sauce and honey. During the last 15 minutes of baking, remove the meatloaf from the oven and baste the top and sides of the meatloaf with the sauce. Return the meatloaf to the oven and finish baking.
- Cool and serve. Remove the pan from the oven when done and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Love,
hey! I wanna make this for tonight but I won’t have time, would i be able to premix and set in the fridge for a few hours and then shape and bake it at dinner time? I feel like that should be fine but I figured it couldnt hurt to ask the silly question because im assuming you’d know better than me! lol thank you!! 😊
yes it is totally fine! you’re all good 🙂