I don’t like the term meatloaf. It makes me uncomfortable. I feel as though those two words should not be intertwined. While growing up, people seemed to always blast meatloaf for being a log a sketch meat and a ghetto meal that can be packaged into a can and served like dog food. You don’t agree? I don’t care, that’s the picture that was embedded in my mind since birth. My mom never made it for me, thanks a lot mom!! Kidding. But my views were suddenly altered when my badass girlfriend Joanna introduced me to Paleo Meatloaf that she had found from CrossFit Verve. It’s ridiculously simple, cheap, and it’s freaking topped with bacon…anything topped with bacon is good, it’s science. I even made my own BBQ sauce to top it off with. If you think meatloaf is dog food too, thanks for supporting my viewpoints, but seriously try this. It’s a paleo food staple and should occur often in your meal plans.
Oh, and by the way, I’ve been playing around with BBQ sauce recipes, but none of them seem to taste like actual BBQ sauce, more like a sweetened tomato paste, but it’s still flippin good so don’t hate! Play around with it yourself with maybe adding a bit of honey or something else to sweeten it up!
Bacon Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf:
- 2–2.5 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1 cup almond meal/flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons onion powder
- 11 sliced uncured bacon, 2 sliced cooked and diced
For the BBQ Sauce:
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- 1 onion, minced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water or broth
- 2 tablespoons apple butter (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard (no sugar added)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- pinch or two of ground cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- splash of hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Dice up your 2 pieces of bacon and throw in a frying pan to cook up for about 5-7 minutes.
- While the bacon is cooking, mix together all other ingredients (except for your 9 slices of bacon) in a large bowl. Once your 2 pieces of bacon are done cooking, add them to the bowl and fully incorporate into the mix.
- Now grab 2 bread loaf pans and add an equal amount to both. Top the meat off with bacon.
- Cook for 45 minutes.
While the meatloaf is cooking, make your BBQ sauce!
- In a large frying pan, add some olive oil (or other fat) and brown the onion–about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir together to cook a bit more.
- Add all other ingredients and mix together, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you have time-I usually want to eat as quick as possible).
- Now plop that sauce on top of your meatloaf and store the rest in a cute Tupperware container in the fridge.
I don’t often repeat the same recipe twice if it’s not one I have perfected myself and made up from scratch. Not to sound like a jerk or anything. But I have re-made this a couple of times. It’s comfort food of the highest order.
Oops – forgot to say that I changed something as I try to minimize the amount of nuts I take in. I use dried porcini mushrooms that i blend into a powder instead of almond meal or coconut flour.
awesome idea jennifer!!
You might try adding some Liquid smoke to your sauce. Its also great in crockpot recipes if you’re trying to get that really smoky flavor you would get from a smoker (Especially with pulled pork in your crockpot). It should fit with Paleo because its essentially water thats been filtered through burning hickory wood.
This was freaking awesome. I love it. My husband loves it. I’m thinking about stabbing him with a fork so he can’t beat me to the rest of it. After trying this I’ve decided sharing is overrated. (Unless you’re sharing recipes, then sharing is good).
Made this last night! It totally reminds me of meatloaf growing up- just paleo! The sauce had a bit of a kick for me (I’m a baby when it comes to spice) but my boyfriend loved it! We use to use applesauce (no sugar added) growing up to add sweetness to the sauce. Could be a good addition maybe!
i’d like to make this but wonder if the bacon gets crispy? i’ve never liked soggy/fatty bacon (who does?)
I followed the recipe to the letter and the bacon didn’t cook right. I didn’t trust it so I cooked the bacon in a pan. Tasted great,!
How many does this serve?
around 3-5
Made this last night and substituted coconut flour (only because i didnt have any almond left) and did everything else the same… mine was a bit liquidy whilst cooking? maybe from the type of meat? not sure. but it was amazing!
bacon and beef together will create a bit of fat/liquid so the almond flour helps with that, coconut flour just isn’t quite the same with that recipe
I thought this was wonderful. This my family’s 4th day on Paleo and my 8 yr old wanted thirds! Will definitely make this again. I did not use the bacon but did use bacon fat for the BBQ sauce. We’re on our 3rd package of bacon in 4 days. Is that normal? Lol