Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf is a 2-pound lean beef meatloaf seasoned with Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powder, spread with barbecue sauce, draped with 8 slices of bacon and baked freeform on a baking sheet so the bacon crisps. A second brush of barbecue sauce glazes it at the end. It serves 6 and bakes for about an hour.

How to make it: Mix the egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup and seasonings, then work in the ground beef by hand. Shape a 10 x 5-inch loaf on a lined baking sheet, spread barbecue sauce on top and drape the bacon over it. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, brush with more sauce, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more until it reaches 160°F. Rest 10 minutes and slice between the bacon strips.

A bacon-wrapped meatloaf with a glossy barbecue glaze on a parchment-lined baking sheet, two slices cut — Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf 1

Why You’ll Love It

Crispy bacon on top: baking on a sheet, not in a pan, lets the bacon brown.
Sweet and smoky: barbecue sauce goes under the bacon and over it.
Short ingredient list: pantry seasonings and a couple of sauces.
Neat slices: cut between the strips for a slice with bacon on every piece.

Ingredient Notes

Ground beef: 2 pounds of lean ground beef. The bacon adds fat, so lean beef keeps the loaf from getting greasy.

Binder: 1 large egg and 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs.

Seasoning: 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Barbecue sauce: 4 tablespoons, divided: half under the bacon and half brushed on at the end.

Bacon: 8 slices of regular bacon, raw.

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds lean ground beef
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided
8 slices bacon

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Do not use a loaf pan.

2. Mix the seasonings. Crack the egg into a large bowl and lightly beat it with a fork. Add the breadcrumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and salt, and stir to mix well.

3. Add the beef. Add the ground beef and use your hands to mix it just until it looks fairly evenly incorporated, being careful not to overmix.

4. Shape the loaf. Transfer the meat to the baking sheet and form it into a 10 x 5-inch loaf.

5. Sauce the top. Spread 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce on top of the meatloaf.

6. Drape the bacon. Drape the bacon slices over the top of the loaf so they cover the top and hang down the sides. Tuck the ends of the bacon under a little so the weight of the meat holds them in place as the bacon cooks and shrinks. Do not wrap them all the way under or they will be rubbery there.

7. Bake. Bake for 45 minutes.

8. Glaze and finish. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce over the bacon on the top and sides of the loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F, about 15 to 20 minutes more.

9. Rest and slice. Rest the meatloaf at room temperature for 10 minutes. To slice, set the knife blade between two slices of bacon and slice down.

Getting the Bacon Right

Two slices of bacon-wrapped meatloaf with barbecue glaze on a plate — Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf 2

Bacon-wrapped meatloaf goes wrong in the same few places. Here is what to do:

Drape, don’t fully wrap. Bacon tucked all the way under the loaf never crisps and turns rubbery, and a raw meatloaf is hard to lift and turn without it falling apart. Cover the top and sides and tuck the ends under just a little; they stay put as the bacon shrinks.
Use a baking sheet, not a loaf pan. In a loaf pan there is no air around the meat, the grease pools and “boils” the loaf, and the bacon can’t crisp. A sheet with low sides lets the air move and catches the grease.
Watch the grease. Check now and then that it isn’t running over the edge of the pan. A larger rimmed sheet avoids spills.
Bake it uncovered. That is the way to crisp bacon. If you cover it to keep the loaf moister, take the cover off for the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Want it crisper? When the loaf reaches 150°F, move it to the center rack and broil for 4 to 7 minutes, watching closely, until the bacon crisps. Then make sure it reads 160°F before it rests.
Don’t overmix. Mix everything except the beef first, then add the beef and mix by hand just until combined, so the loaf stays tender.

Raw or Pre-Cooked Bacon?

Raw bacon works for regular slices: it cooks through and crisps in the hour the loaf bakes. If you use thick-cut bacon or like it very crisp, partly cook it first: microwave it on paper towels for about 4 minutes (about 10 for thick slices) so it is still soft enough to drape, then let it finish on the loaf.

How Long to Cook Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

Method	Temperature	Time
Draped loaf on a baking sheet (this recipe)	350°F	45 minutes, glaze, then 15 to 20 minutes more
Fully wrapped loaf, turned out of a loaf pan onto a sheet	350°F	50 minutes, glaze, then about 30 minutes more
Air fryer mini loaves	360°F	10 minutes, sauce, then 10 to 15 minutes more

Whatever the method, the meatloaf is done at 160°F in the center on a food thermometer. Don’t cut into it to check.

Variations

Full bacon wrap: line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with 8 to 10 overlapping slices, press in the meat, fold the ends over the top, then turn the loaf out onto a foil-lined rimmed sheet and cover the ends with 2 more slices cut in half. Glaze with 3/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Air fryer mini loaves: divide the meat into 4 to 6 small loaves, wrap one strip of bacon around the side of each (not under), and follow the times in the table above.
Half beef, half sausage: use 1 pound of lean ground beef and 1 pound of ground sausage.
No bacon: double the glaze, brush on half before baking and the rest near the end.
Leftover sandwiches: cold slices on bread with a little mayonnaise.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, wrapped well or in shallow covered containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap slices airtight and freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Reheat: Reheat covered in the oven, on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.

What to Serve With It

Serve it with Southern stewed potatoes, smothered green beans with potatoes or roasted asparagus and carrots. For more meatloaf, try old-fashioned meatloaf or Parmesan meatloaf. Another bacon-wrapped dinner: slow cooker bacon-wrapped sirloin roast.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cooking time for bacon wrapped meatloaf?

About an hour at 350°F for a 2-pound loaf: 45 minutes, then glaze and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until it reads 160°F in the center.

Should I cook bacon before putting it on meatloaf?

Not for regular bacon; it cooks through on the loaf. Partly cook thick-cut bacon in the microwave first so it finishes crisp.

Should I use a loaf pan or a baking sheet?

A baking sheet with low sides. In a loaf pan the grease pools around the meat and the bacon can’t crisp.

Does meatloaf have to rest before slicing?

Yes, 10 minutes. The juices settle as it rests, so the meatloaf stays juicy and doesn’t fall apart when you slice it.

Final Notes

Keep the bacon on the top and sides, bake it on a sheet, and trust the thermometer. Slice between the strips so every piece gets bacon. If you make it, tell me in the comments which barbecue sauce you used.