I have a long love/hate history with meatloaf. As a child I disliked it because of the texture, though as I grew older I realized it wasn’t the concept of meatloaf I disliked so much as how many versions were made: either too tough, too crumbly, too dry, or bland. I enjoy meat, but I expect a meatloaf to have the right texture (tender but cohesive, moist but not wet), bold flavor, and a touch of spice to keep it interesting. My husband adores meatloaf but prefers it without a ketchup glaze, which made creating a recipe that satisfied both of us a challenge.

Our kids made things more complicated by insisting they didn’t want visible pieces of vegetables in their slices. That’s real life—sometimes pleasing everyone seems impossible. After a lot of experimenting and many batches later, I finally landed on a meatloaf that meets all our quirky preferences.

Meet Bacon Jalapeno Meatloaf: the one that works for my family. It delivers on texture and flavor, with the vegetables pureed and hidden in the mix so picky eaters won’t spot them. The loaf holds together thanks to a combination of finely crushed butter-style crackers and old-fashioned rolled oats, while a generous portion of pureed vegetables keeps it moist. Garlic and onion in the blend add savory depth, and barbecue sauce folded into the meat adds tang and richness. Fresh jalapenos give a mild, pleasant heat without overwhelming the dish. The whole loaf is wrapped in bacon, which bastes the meat as it bakes; a final brush of barbecue sauce and a quick broil crisp the bacon and caramelize the glaze.

This meatloaf is flavorful, tender, and a little spicy—everything we wanted and more. It also makes excellent leftovers for sandwiches, which is another reason to make a full batch.

Cook’s Notes

• I tested different binders—fresh bread crumbs, dried crumbs, only oats, only cracker crumbs—and found the best texture comes from a mix of fine butter-style cracker crumbs (think Ritz) and old-fashioned rolled oats. The oats add structure without being noticeable in the finished loaf. I used old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats; I did not test quick oats so substitutions are at your own risk.
• This recipe is designed for the vegetables to be fully pureed in a blender or food processor. If you don’t mind visible vegetable pieces, you could try finely diced vegetables, but I haven’t tested that method and can’t guarantee the result.
• When combining the meat and other ingredients, handle the mixture gently. You want even distribution without overworking—mix until uniform, then stop. Don’t squeeze or compact the meat too much.
• For best results, line a rimmed half-sheet pan with foil. Divide the meat mixture into two equal portions and shape each into a free-form loaf about 8 inches long by 4 inches wide.
• To wrap the loaves in bacon, I use thick-sliced bacon and gently stretch each slice by pressing the blunt side of a knife over it. This makes the slice long enough to be halved and still wrap across the loaf. Stretching both literally and figuratively helps the bacon cover the loaf evenly.
• Wrap the ends of the loaves first; when you wrap the top and sides afterward, those pieces help hold the end pieces in place.
• The bacon cooks during baking but needs a short time under the broiler to crisp. Brush each finished loaf with about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and broil until the bacon crisps and the sauce caramelizes. If it browns too quickly, move the pan away from the broiler.
• This recipe yields two large loaves, which is great if you like leftovers—the sandwiches are fantastic. To store, wrap loaves tightly in plastic and refrigerate up to four days. The meatloaf also freezes well: chill, slice into portions if desired, double-wrap, and freeze for up to three months.

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Bacon Jalapeno Meatloaf

Rebecca Lindamood

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Ingredients

• 2 small onions peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 jalapenos stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 red bell pepper stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 cup plus 1/2 cup barbecue sauce homemade or purchased, divided
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers crushed finely
• 4 pounds 80/20 ground beef
• 3/4 to 1 pound thick sliced bacon

Instructions

• Line a rimmed half-sheet pan with foil and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Place the chopped onions, jalapenos, red bell pepper, carrots, 1 cup barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender or food processor. Process on high until smooth. Add the eggs, salt, and pepper and pulse to combine. Transfer the pureed mixture to a large mixing bowl, then add the oats, crushed cracker crumbs, and ground beef. Gently combine by hand until the mixture is uniform in color and texture. Divide into two equal portions and shape each into an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf on the prepared pan.
• Working with one slice of bacon at a time, lay it on a cutting board and press the blunt spine of a large knife over the slice to gently stretch it to about twice its original length. Cut the stretched slice in half. Wrap the ends of each meatloaf first, covering the ends completely, then use additional stretched slices to wrap the tops and sides with slight overlap until the loaf is fully covered. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
• Brush the tops with the remaining barbecue sauce (about 1/4 cup per loaf) and move the pan under a high broiler. Broil until the bacon is crisp and the sauce is caramelized—watch closely and move the pan farther from the broiler if it browns too quickly. Remove from the oven and let the loaves rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator up to four days, or double-wrap and freeze for up to three months.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.

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