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Slices of southern meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies on a plate
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Southern Meatloaf Recipe

This Southern meatloaf is made with a combo of ground beef and ground pork, has just the right veggies, pimentos, Cajun seasoning, and topped with BBQ sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword meatloaf recipes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 647kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Vidalia onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup store bought dry bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
  • 1/4 cup, plus 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • Heat oil (2 tablespoons) to a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat and sauté, stirring frequently, onion (1 cup), green bell pepper (1/2 cup), and garlic (4 cloves) until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, Add bread crumbs (1 cup), milk (1/2 cup), drained pimientos (1 jar), bbq sauce (1/4 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon), eggs (2), ground beef and pork (1 pound each), smoked paprika (2 teaspoons), Cajun seasoning (1 1/4 teaspoons), salt (1/2 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and cooled sautéd vegetable mixture. Gently mix with your hands to evenly combine. Do not overmix!
  • Evenly press the meatloaf mixture into the prepared pan. Invert the pan onto the foil-lined baking sheet.
  • Pour half the remaining 3/4 cup BBQ sauce over the meatloaf. Brush the sauce over top and sides in an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
  • Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 400ºF (204ºC). Brush the remainder of the sauce over top and sides in an even layer.
  • Return the meatloaf to the oven and cook until meatloaf registers 160ºF (71ºC), about 15-20 minutes. Allow meatloaf to cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Notes

  1. Make It Moist: The trick to achieving a moist and tender meatloaf is not to overmix the meat mixture.  The panade (the bread and milk) and veggies will not only add flavors, but even more moisture. The result will be a crowd-pleaser!
  2. Overmixing:  Overmixing can cause the meatloaf to become tough and dense. Use care to not over-mix the loaf.
  3. Line The Baking Sheet: Line the rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of foil for easier clean-up.
  4. Let It Rest! Before slicing the cooked meatloaf, allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This will help to keep it juicy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 983mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1320IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 5mg