Sunday Rewind: Maggie Monday- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf – Originally posted April 8, 2012

As The Rantings of an Amateur Chef has been going since February of 2012, there are quite a few readers that have joined along the way. In an effort to bring back some great recipes that they may have missed, I will dedicate Sundays to re-posting a favorite that is at least two years old. I hope you enjoy! – The Ranting Chef

On the previous Maggie Monday, one reader comment ended with “and my wife thinks you’re cool!” I got all excited until I remembered that it was Maggie’s post and not mine. Maggie, I also think you are cool. Here’s another delicious recipe from Maggie.

Yes. You read that right. Meatloaf. Wrapped in bacon. Every man’s dream, right? Well, real women eat bacon. Men don’t have that market cornered! This recipe, created by The Pioneer Woman, equally comforts both men and women. It is an equal opportunity dish.

This recipe is very easy to make and takes no time at all. Baking on a broiler pan instead of in a loaf pan speeds up the baking, and gives the bacon crust a great crisp. I make it into two smaller loaves, and freeze one after baking for when I need a quick prep meal another night. If you have a big family, scrap that idea, as you might not even have leftovers.

The original recipe doesn’t call for chopped onion, but I like a bit of fresh onion in meatloaf. Feel free to omit the onion if you wish. I’ve also made it without the parsley when I don’t have any on hand. Sometimes I use equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork. All versions are delicious.

Take the extra 3 minutes and make the sauce for this. Totally worth the tiny effort required. I might like the ramped-up ketchup sauce as much as the bacon.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

mmmmmmmmmmmm.

What you need:

1 cup milk

6 slices of white bread (any bread will do- I have used wheat)

2 pounds ground beef (can also use 1 lb each of ground beef and pork)

1 heaping cup of grated parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but anything will do)

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ t seasoned salt

¾ t salt

½ t ground black pepper

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, minced

4 eggs, beaten

10 slices bacon, thin- not thick cut. Thinner=better

Sauce:

1 ½ cups ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 t dry mustard

Tabasco sauce to taste

(reserve 1/3 of  the sauce for serving)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of your broiler pan with foil and have it ready to go. Using a broiler pan allows the fat to drain away) Place bread slices in a large bowl. Pour milk over bread. Allow it to soak for a few minutes. Place ground beef, milk-soaked bread, onion, parmesan cheese, salts, pepper and parsley in the bowl. Pour beaten eggs over all of this stuff.  Dig into this with your very clean hands. Yep. Dig in, and start squishing and mixing it up until everything is well-blended. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf (or two smaller loaves) and place on the broiler pan. Lay the bacon slices over the loaf, tucking the ends underneath the loaf.

If you made two loaves, you should cut the bacon slices in half. Sometimes I even stretch the slices to make them thinner so they crisp up.

Once the meatloaf is wrapped,  take 2/3 of the ketchup sauce and spread it over the loaf with a spoon or spatula.

Bake for about an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes.