If you are contemplating whether or not to make meatloaf for dinner tonight please consider making this apple bacon version. It’s tantalizing! Plus, it’s a real conversation starter. If you are having guests over for dinner, especially new friends who you are trying to get to know better, consider making a dish like this bacon apple meatloaf. It’ll really get the conversation moving in the right direction and dispell any awkwardness at the dinner table.
Absolutely! The apple and bacon really bring out the flavors of the juicy beef and spices. Yum!
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb Jimmy Dean Italian sausage, mild
2 Eggland’s Best eggs
1 c dried 4C bread crumbs
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 large apple, firm, chopped
12 slice Hormel bacon, 6 cooked and chopped, 6 uncooked
1 c apple butter, reserve 1/2 c. for glaze
1/2 c Mott’s cinnamon applesauce
6 Tbsps Kraft hickory barbecue sauce, reserve 3 tbs for glaze
Morton salt and McCormick pepper
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.
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.
Mix the rest of the apple butter and barbecue sauce to make glaze. Spread over top of meatloaf mixture.
Place 3 slices of uncooked bacon on each loaf.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour until cooked through. Switch oven to broil setting. Broil for 10 minutes or until bacon on top is crisp. Let meatloaf rest before moving to serving plate. (Remember, the bread is not for eating. It is soaked with grease. Just discard.)
Quick Tip: Serve this meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans for a complete meal.
