Gluten-free BBQ Meatloaf

Today I am sharing one of my favorite winter meals…meatloaf! I know meatloaf is a meal that’s either loved or hated {doesn’t seem like much of an in between} but I think it’s a cozy, comfort food. I have made this recipe with both lean ground beef and turkey. Turkey meat can definitely get a bit dry, so if you opt for turkey you may want to use a blend that is higher in fat. I am hoping spring is on its way, so be sure to give this recipe a try before the warm weather comes and comfort food recipes get stowed away until the fall.

When it comes to cooking meatloaf, I find there is a fine line between overdone and soggy. If your meatloaf comes out too dry, try using a different pan or adding a bit more onion. Opposite goes for a soggy meatloaf that falls apart. I have found that sometimes, too much onion is the culprit.

I have been using a loaf pan {this is the exact pan I have} for meatloaf, but I am thinking of getting a pan like this or this, to help better drain excess fat and prevent sogginess. As I am devoting more time to writing down and blogging my recipes, I have been better with measuring. Unfortunately, I find my best meals comes from days when I didn’t measure at all. I will have to work on that!

For my bridal shower, I received a lot of Pyrex items and have been getting so much use out of the 1-cup liquid measuring cup. I have also been using my stainless steel measuring cups, spoons and bowls a ton {I’ve linked products very similar to the ones I have}. When it comes to measuring cups, look for a large stainless steel set with extra sizes such as 1 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup and/or 3/4 cup. Measuring cups don’t take up very much space in the kitchen and the extra sizes really do come in handy {thanks, mom!}

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Gluten-free BBQ Meatloaf

Servings: 4
Time: 1.5 hours
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Ingredients

1/14 lb 92% Grass-Fed Lean Ground Beef
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
6 baby carrots
1 egg
1/2 cup of plain GF bread crumbs
1/8 cup of pec or parm cheese
1/8 cup of milk (not half and half or heavy cream)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ketchup
Dash of worstichier sauce
5 tbsp bbq sauce for topping
3-4 slices of nitrate-free bacon for topping (full slices of cut into tiny pieces)

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees then chop your carrots, garlic and onion in a food processor. If you have been following my blog, you may notice that I use baby carrots in a lot of my recipes. We tend to only buy baby carrots because they double as a dinner ingredient and an easy snack. Next, combine all ingredients into a large bowl using your hands, but be careful not to over work the meat. To much mixing can make the meat tough and it won’t be as tasty. Once combined, place your mix into a loaf pan or form into a loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Top with BBQ sauce and bacon then pop it into the oven for 40-45 minutes. Finish it off under the broiler for 10 minutes to really crisp up the bacon.

{If you opt for turkey, remember that turkey must be cooked all the way through}