Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Your favourite fast-food takeout, in meatloaf form, will please everyone. And wrapping it in bacon is easier than you might think.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs (375 g) lean ground beef
1/2 lb (250 g) ground pork
1 cup (250 ml) dry bread crumbs or crushed crackers or croutons
1/2 small onion, grated
1 large egg
2 tbsp (30 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp (30 ml) ketchup
1 tbsp (15 ml) grainy or yellow mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) grated old cheddar or Gouda cheese
8–10 slices bacon

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, Parmesan, ketchup, mustard, and some salt and pepper. Blend gently with your hands, just until combined.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment. Pat the meat mixture into a 10-inch by 12-inch square and sprinkle with cheese, keeping one edge bare. Roll up jelly-roll style, ending at the bare edge, and place seam side down on the pan.

Cover crosswise with bacon strips, covering the loaf and tucking the ends of the bacon underneath. Bake for one hour, until cooked through (the internal temperature should be 170°F on a meat thermometer), and the bacon is cooked. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8.

PER SERVING: 493 calories, 26 g fat (11.8 g saturated fat, 12.2 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat), 152 mg cholesterol, 11.5 g carbohydrate, 42.8 g protein, 1 g fibre.

Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, February/March 2016.