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    Home » Whole Food Recipes » Simple Dinner Recipes

    February 20, 2014 | By Jami

    Quick Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce

    Jump to Recipe

    Mini meatloaves - little loaves or muffin-size - are easier & cook a lot faster than regular meatloaf, making them perfect for everyday as well as a great company main dish. Try them slathered with this easy homemade chipotle BBQ sauce sweetened with honey - it's kind of amazing.

    Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle-Honey BBQ sauce

    I'm pretty excited to share this recipe for mini meatloaves with a super tasty chipotle-honey BBQ sauce because they actually changed my mind about meatloaf. I don't know if  it's the same for you, but meatloaf is something I rarely used to make. For one, it just seemed so...blah. I didn't really get the appeal based on the meatloaves I had growing up.

    Second, it just takes SO long - you need to prep the ingredients, mush it all up together (many people use their hands - sorry, I do not want to be picking raw meat out of my fingernails, yuck), press it into a pan, and then wait more than an hour to cook.

    And serving it? I don't know what the problem is, but the few times I did make it I could never get nice clean slices and the plate would end up with a glob of meat mixture in the middle. Lovely. I could've just made a ground beef hash in a fraction of the time for almost the same result.

    Because of these things, making meatloaf just never seemed worth it to me, so I only made it if someone in my family requested it, which was pretty much never.

    Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce

    Mini Meatloaves-raw with sauce

    So what changed? Why mini meatloaves?

    One day it occurred to me (who knows why...) that I could make individual mini meatloaves in the same pan I use to make little bread loaves (like these Cranberry Crumb loaves - yum!). If I had needed to make more or wanted smaller serving sizes, a regular muffin tin would work, too.

    Well, this was pretty much a revelation for me - not only do they cook quicker and are a snap to serve, I actually like them better because more of each serving gets that nice crisp edge and coating of barbecue sauce. I was starting to get the whole idea of meatloaf!

    Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle BBQ sauce in small bowl with spoon

    So I started playing around with flavors and seasonings. I came up with this recipe that has plenty of garlic and is topped with a super easy homemade spicy chipotle barbecue sauce. Um, this is not your mama's (or grandma's) meatloaf - there's nothing blah about this!

    Mini Meatloaves with BBQ sauce on platter

    A side benefit is that with this presentation the humble meatloaf is elevated to company fare and actually looks good on a platter or plate.

    Mini Meatloaves with BBQ Sauce

    So whether you make them in a mini meatloaf pan or regular muffin tins, these mini meatloaves liberally spread with a spicy sauce (or not - you can adjust the seasoning easily) just might make a meatloaf believer out of you, too. Unless you already were - in that case, you'll just enjoy another version of a favorite!

    And you can bet my family asks for meatloaf now - only if it's these quick mini meatloaves with the yummy sauce.

    Mini Meatloaves with BBQ Sauce
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    4.50 from 2 votes

    Quick Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle Honey BBQ Sauce

    Mini meatloaves are a LOT easier than a large loaf and smothered in a spicy homemade chipotle BBQ sauce sweetened with honey are easy enough for everyday and nice enough for company.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 8 sm. loaves OR 12 muffin size
    Author: Jami Boys

    Ingredients

    • For Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce:
    • 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 1/2 a can)*
    • 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons honey**
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4  teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4  teaspoon onion powder
    • For Meatloaves:
    • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
    • 1 pound ground pork or sausage you can use all beef or turkey, but adding the pork really makes a flavorful, moist meatloaf
    • 1 small onion diced - about 1 cup
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1/2 cup diced sweet peppers***
    • 1  teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1/2 cup oatmeal or bread crumbs I prefer oatmeal and makes it gluten-free
    • 2 eggs

    Instructions

    • Make Easy Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce:
    • Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and whir until smooth.
    • If sauce is too thick, add water as needed to thin to desired consistency.
    • Make Mini Meatloaves:
    • Heat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer, but any way you want to mix it together works.
    • Divide meat mixture evenly in an 8-mini-meatloaf pan OR into 12 regular sized muffin cups. No need to grease or line the pans.
    • Liberally spread some of the chipotle barbecue sauce over the tops. You won't use all the sauce.
    • Bake mini loaves for 25-30 minutes and muffin tin sized loaves for 20-25 minutes, until nicely brown and pulling away from the edges.
    • Let sit about 5 minutes before serving with remaining barbecue sauce.

    Notes

    *Feel free to adjust the peppers to your personal taste. The amount listed results in a medium spicy sauce. Using 3-4 peppers will be mild, and only 1-2 will be very mild.
    **You can use maple syrup instead for a different flavor.
    ***If you have frozen, diced peppers you can use them, but they first need to be thawed and pressed between paper towels to dry before adding to the meat mixture.
    NOTE: the nutrition information below was calculated with loaves made with beef and ground pork.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/2 loaf or 1 muffin | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.8g | Protein: 24.1g | Fat: 6.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 459mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 5.2g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

    Other Easy Dinner Recipes You May Like:

    Sriracha Beef and Vegetable Rice Bowls
    Rotisserie-Style Slow Cooker Spiced Whole Chicken
    French Beef Stew Recipe – The Best Stew Ever!
    Easy Slow Cooker Cassoulet

     

     

     

     

     

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    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My goal is to help you live a simple homemade life on your terms: cooking delicious real food, painless gardening, and making easy things that are totally worth your time. 

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