Dinosaur BBQ Meat Loaf by Tom

UPDATED 2021
Tom's favorite meatloaf recipe is in the Dinosaur BBQ cookbook which Sarah gave him. (Dinosaur BBQ started in Syracuse, New York and is popular with Syracuse University grads, like she is.) He's been making it since 2002, and has improved it based on making it many times.  

This recipe takes a while to make and bake, so he usually does it while watching football or the like. Plan on 3 hours from start to putting it on the table.

You'll need an extra large mixing bowl for assembly and  a baking sheet to go under the loaf pans to avoid spills. 
    --Barbara

Not Your Mama's Meatloaf
(adapted from pg 47, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Cookbook)

Makes one large loaf, serves 6 to 8

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 t. salt
black pepper, a few twists
1 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic
1.3 - 1.5 lbs. ground meat (a mix of beef, pork and veal)
8 oz. bulk sweet Italian sausage
5 slices soft white bread
1 1/4 cups of Dinosaur BBQ Sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Saute onions and peppers with a pinch of salt and pepper until soft. Add garlic and cook a little longer. Scrape into a large bowl. Crumble in the ground beef and sausage and mix it all together with your hands.

Wet the bread with water, then squeeze out all of the liquid. Chop it up and mix into the meat mixture. Pour in 3/4 cup of the BBQ Sauce and sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix with your hands. Add the eggs and mix it up one more time.

Depending on how much mixture you have, use one large loaf pan or two smaller loaf pans. Press the mixture in to the pan and slather the remaining sauce on top. Place pan on a cookie sheet to catch drippings. Bake for 1.5 hours. Remove and let sit for 30 minutes. Resting is important if you want to be able to slice it. Drain any extra fat before serving.