Bacon Lovers Meatloaf

My daughter and I were watching a movie and they were making sarcastic remarks about meatloaf.  She turned to me and said, “What’s wrong with meatloaf?  I love meatloaf! Ha, ha.  I don’t get it either.  Meatloaf is always a crowd pleaser at my house and never gets boring because it can be changed up in so many ways.

This is my basic meatloaf recipe wrapped up in enough bacon so that everyone gets a full piece on their slice. To make it a real "Bacon Lovers Meatloaf," I also add bacon to the brown gravy.

It might sound like a lot of bacon, but it really isn’t.  It's just enough to give the meatloaf and gravy the perfect amount of bacon-ness to satisfy your - oink craving.

My notes to you...
I always use 3 pounds of meat when I make a meatloaf and change it up along the way.  Sometimes I make it with all beef and other times it’s a combo of ground pork or ground sausage - like Italian or country sausage.  My ratio is usually (2 to 1) 2 beef, 1 pork - from there, use your imagination and create your own personal meatloaf.

I like to mix all the ingredients together before adding the meat. This allows the seasoning so blend more evenly into the meat when you mix them together.

Some recipes suggest you use a combination of beef, pork and veal, which I have tried. However, I didn't feel that the cost of the veal was noticeable enough to justify the expense.  Veal?  Really?  Isn’t meatloaf a poor man’s meal?

BACON MEATLOAF WITH BACON GRAVY

2          pounds            ground beef

1          pound              ground pork

½         large                onion, chopped fine

½         cup                  seasoned bread crumbs

1          large                egg

½         cup                  ketchup

½         cup                  water

1          tsp.                  kosher salt

1          tsp.                  black pepper

Place all ingredients except the meat in a large mixing bowl and mix to blend.

Add pork first and mix to blend.  Then add beef and mix to blend.

Remove meat mixture from bowl and form into a long loaf, patting and slapping the loaf to shape and get the air pockets out.

Cut bacon strips in half and lay over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Bacon Gravy

BACON GRAVY

4 – 6    slices               bacon, cut into thin strips

½         large                onion, chopped fine

1          clove               garlic, minced

¼         cup                  oil

½         cup                  flour

1          14 oz. can       chicken broth

1          14 oz. can       beef broth

½         cup                  water

1          Tbsp.               Worcestershire

3          Tbsp.               ketchup

1 ¼      tsp.                  kosher salt

½         tsp.                  black pepper

Cut bacon into thin strips and cook until crisp. 

Add onions, oil and garlic and let cook over med-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft. 

Add flour and mix to blend; lower heat and cook for 10 minutes; stirring occasionally until the flour is a golden brown color.

Turn heat up to med-high and add chicken broth, beef broth, water, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt & pepper; bring to a boil stirring occasionally until thickened.