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Sliced barbecue-glazed meatloaf on a floral platter with mashed potatoes, carrots, and baked beans in the background.

BBQ Meatloaf

Shaping this loaf on a pan lets its barbecue glaze catch around the edges. The slices stay tender, with softened onion tucked into the savory beef.

By Betty Lou Gardner1 hr 40 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This BBQ Meatloaf is tender, savory, and glazed with a sticky layer of barbecue sauce that caramelizes beautifully around the edges as it bakes! Simple pantry ingredients come together into a comforting family-style supper that pairs just as naturally with mashed potatoes and green beans as it does with a thick slice of bread.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

I cook the onion first so it turns soft and sweet instead of staying sharp in the loaf. I like shaping this one on a sheet pan because the edges brown better. I make sure the ends get plenty of sauce. Those pieces go first.

How to Make BBQ Meatloaf

◆
Diced yellow onion cooking in oil in a skillet until soft and lightly golden.
01

Cook the Onion

Sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and lightly golden, then let it cool slightly.

Ground beef, cooked onion, barbecue sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl before mixing.
02

Mix the Meatloaf

Whisk together barbecue sauce, egg, and water. Stir in the breadcrumbs and seasonings, then gently mix in the beef and cooked onion just until combined.

Raw barbecue meatloaf shaped into a free-form loaf on a rimmed baking sheet.
03

Shape the Loaf

Form the mixture into an even loaf on a rimmed baking sheet or place it in a loaf pan.

Barbecue sauce being brushed over a partially baked meatloaf inside the oven.
04

Bake and Glaze

Bake until the loaf is nearly cooked through, brush the top and sides with barbecue sauce, and continue baking until the glaze is sticky and the center reaches 160°F.

05

Rest Before Slicing

Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle and the slices hold together.

Sliced barbecue-glazed meatloaf on a floral platter with mashed potatoes, carrots, and baked beans in the background.

BBQ Meatloaf

Shaping this loaf on a pan lets its barbecue glaze catch around the edges. The slices stay tender, with softened onion tucked into the savory beef.

By Betty Lou Gardner

Prep15 minCook1 hr 15 minTotal1 hr 40 minDifficultyEasy
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Ingredients

Scale

Scaling note: Scaling is withheld until recipe-specific quantities, method safety, and instruction synchronization are verified.

Meatloaf

Instructions

  1. 1 yellow onion, 1 tablespoon oil
  2. Cooked onion, ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 1 egg, ¼ cup water, ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1½ pounds ground beef
  4. ¼ cup barbecue sauce

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

1 large loaf — Serving size: 1 slice

Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.

Calories
210
Carbohydrates
3.5 g
Protein
13 g
Fat
15.5 g
Saturated Fat
5.5 g
Cholesterol
70 mg
Sodium
310 mg
Fiber
0.4 g
Total Sugars
0.7 g

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Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner’s family recipes are preserved in Granny’s Recipe Box.

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