Go Back

Cowboy Meatloaf

Cowboy meatloaf is a loaded American dinner meatloaf baked until juicy, with bacon, sharp cheddar, and diced jalapeños mixed into the loaf. It’s finished with a smoky BBQ-ketchup glaze that bakes dark and glossy on top.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
rest 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 2 lb ground beef
breakfast sausage
  • 0.5 lb breakfast sausage
breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
eggs
  • 2 eggs
milk
  • 0.33 cup milk
onion
  • 1 onion
garlic
  • 3 clove garlic
Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
jalapeños
  • 2 jalapeños
bacon
  • 6 bacon Cook and crumble.
sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar Shredded.
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.
BBQ sauce
  • 0.33 cup BBQ sauce
ketchup
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and shape
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
  2. Combine ground beef, breakfast sausage, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, jalapeños, bacon, sharp cheddar, and salt and pepper, then mix well until evenly distributed.
  3. Shape the mixture into a free-form loaf on the lined baking sheet so it bakes evenly.
Glaze and bake
  1. Mix BBQ sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar, then spread half of the glaze over the top of the loaf.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 55 minutes, until the top looks set and the glaze starts to darken and cling to the meat.
  3. Spread the remaining glaze over the loaf, then bake for 15 more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the cowboy meatloaf for 10 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute and the slices hold together.
  2. Slice and serve with cornbread and coleslaw.

Notes

Pro tip: grate the onion and mince the garlic fine so the loaf stays tender without pockets of raw onion. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat slices in a 325°F oven until warmed through. Freezing works well up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use ground turkey (instead of part of the beef) and consider reduced-fat cheddar.