Bacon Jalapeno Meatloaf

Bacon Jalapeno Meatloaf 2 small onions peeled and roughly chopped 4 jalapenos stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped 1 red bell pepper stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped 1 cup baby carrots 1 cup plus 1/2 cup barbecue sauce homemade or purchased, divided 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 4 eggs lightly beaten 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers crushed finely 4 pounds of 80/20 ground beef 3/4 to 1 pound thick sliced bacon Line a rimmed, half-sheet pan with foil and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the chopped onions, jalapenos, red bell pepper, carrots, 1 cup barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to your blender or food processor and process on HIGH until smooth. Add the eggs, salt, and pepper, and pulse to combine. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the oats, cracker crumbs, and ground beef. Use your hands to combine the mixture gently until it is even in colour and texture. Divide the mixture in half and form each half into a loaf that is roughly 8-inches long by 4-inches wide on the prepared pan. Working with one slice of bacon at a time, lay it on a cutting board and slide the blunt spine of a large knife over the slice of bacon, pressing as you go, stretching the bacon to about twice its original length. Cut the stretched bacon in half. Wrap the ends of the meat loaves with bacon, covering the whole surface of the ends. Then repeat stretching and slicing the bacon, and use the slices to wrap around the top and sides of the meatloaf, slightly overlapping the slices. When the meatloaf is completely covered, bake for 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reads 160°F on an instant read thermometer. Brush the tops of the meatloaves with the remaining barbecue sauce and return to the oven, this time under a HIGH broiler. Broil until the bacon is crisp and the barbecue sauce is caramelized on top. If you find it is browning before it crisps, move the pan further away from the broiler. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes to set up before slicing. Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or wrap with a double thickness of plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months.