Aunt Libby's Classic Southern BBQ Meatloaf

First, preheat your oven to the desired temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius. Next, take a butter knife and spread a generous amount of butter onto the interior of a 9x5-inch loaf pan, making sure to cover the entire surface.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, finely chopped onion, 1 cup of ketchup, crushed bread crumbs, beaten eggs, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Use your hands or a spoon to mix the ingredients together until they form a cohesive mixture.

Press the beef mixture firmly into the prepared loaf pan, making sure it's evenly distributed and covers the entire surface.

In a saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of ketchup, water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and warmed up, approximately 10 minutes.

Pour one-third of the warm sauce over the meatloaf in the loaf pan.

Then, bake the meatloaf in a preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Every 25 minutes, use a spoon to baste the meatloaf with more of the warm sauce.

Once the meatloaf is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.