Meatloaf with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
Dax Phillips
Photo by Julia Gartland
- Serves
- 6
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour 45 Minutes
I am not going to beat around the bush on this one. This meatloaf is the best—seriously. Growing up, I was never one for the meatloaf. I mean, what is the meatloaf anyway but a bread pan full of meat with ketchup slathered on top, a mix of vegetables, and breadcrumbs, right? Having grown, I have learned to love the meatloaf, in particular, the one I am going to discuss below. If you are truly looking for comfort, then come on in.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Meatloaf
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 pieces of white bread, crust removed, torn into small pieces
For the Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
- 2 small onions, peeled, and quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic, rough chop
- 2 cup blackberries, thawed (if using frozen)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- generous pinch of salt
- generous pinch of black pepper
Featured Video
Meatloaf with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
For the best traditional meatloaf recipe, look no further. Daxphillips’ meatloaf hews closely to tradition, relying on the classic triumvirate of ground veal, beef and pork; a little bread and milk; garlic, onion and Worcestershire sauce. All are thoughtfully balanced, producing a savory, light-textured loaf. It's equal parts easy to make, tender as heck, and impressive for company. And who are we kidding? The standout here is the sauce, whose garlic, ginger and cayenne make sparks fly around the berries. You’ll want to eat the sauce by the spoonful—enjoy the snap of the blackberry seeds! A couple of pointers: We halved the spices, because we’re wimps. Start with half and adjust to your taste. And don’t opt for lean meats unless you want a dry loaf. Serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or sautéed greens.
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Make the Sauce: Add the above ingredients to a blender, and puree until nice and smooth. Add this to a small pot, and cook on medium to low heat for about 20 minutes. Stir, and remove from the heat. When you make the meatloaf, add the sauce to the top before baking, and spread on the plate before serving.
- Step 2
Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all of your ingredients, with the exception of the bbq sauce. Get in there, get dirty and greasy from the meat. Once combined, add to your bread/loaf pan which is typically 5×9. Shape into the pan, then add your sauce to the top, roughly a half cup. Place in the oven for nearly one hour and 25 minutes.
- Step 3
Once cooked, remove from the oven and let it cool for roughly five minutes. In the meantime, warm up more of the bbq sauce. Remove the loaf to a serving dish, and drizzle the sauce on the top. Serve with your favorite sides. I served mine with mashed potatoes. Trust me, this one is really delicious.