Freezer-Friendly BBQ Glazed Mini Meatloaves

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Six little smoky-sweet meatloaves baked on one sheet pan, each one glazed with a three-ingredient brown sugar barbecue sauce. The milk-soaked breadcrumbs keep them juicy through a spell in the freezer, so they reheat tender instead of dry or crumbly. Bake a batch Sunday, wrap them individually, and pull out exactly as many as you need on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 1 medium yellow onion, grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment. In a big bowl, stir the panko and milk together and let sit 5 minutes until the crumbs swell into a paste — this is what keeps the loaves moist after freezing.
2. Add the ground beef, grated onion (juice and all), eggs, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the soaked crumbs. Mix with your hands just until combined, about 30 seconds; overmixing makes the loaves dense and rubbery.
3. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape each into a compact loaf about 4 inches long and 2 inches tall. Space them at least 2 inches apart on the sheet pan so the edges brown rather than steam.
4. Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Brush about half of it over the tops and sides of the loaves.
5. Bake 25 minutes, then brush on the remaining glaze and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the glaze is sticky and the center of a loaf reads 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
6. TO FREEZE: cool the loaves completely on a rack, at least 45 minutes — wrapping them warm creates steam and ice crystals. Wrap each loaf tightly in foil, then stack in a zip-top freezer bag, press out the air, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
7. TO REHEAT FROM FROZEN: keep the loaf in its foil, set on a sheet pan, and bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until it reads 165°F in the center; open the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the glaze. For one serving fast, unwrap, cover loosely, and microwave 4 to 5 minutes at 50% power, then 1 minute on high.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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