Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, made with quality beef mince and smoked bacon, tastes so good there’s no need for any sauces, gravy or toppings.
Without fillers such as breadcrumbs, but flavoured with herbs, onion and a little cheese, this easy but tasty loaf is also suitable for those looking for a low carb recipe.
I like to serve the meatloaf on a bed of sauteed veg finished with a little cream and a few herbs, in which case it serves 2-3. If you prefer it with potatoes or grains as well, then it could feed 4.
Leftovers are just as good too. Ping in the microwave, fry or put in a low oven to reheat.
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When I first posted this Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf on social media, I asked, “Is meatloaf eaten much in Britain?”.
I expected the answer to be “no”. I’ve rarely seen it here and, personally, never fancied what seemed to be the most popular version which contains lots of breadcrumbs and often has a weird glaze made with tomato ketchup.
But I was surprised to find that lots of people do like meatloaf.
So, I thought I’d better add the recipe for this oh-so-tasty version to my blog.
BACON WRAPPED MEATLOAF
For this meatloaf the emphasis is definitely on meat. I don’t want breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sage and onion stuffing mix, or any of the other things regularly used to pad out meatloaf.
I do add a little dried oregano for a herby hint. But even that is entirely optional.
In such a simple recipe, you do need to use good quality ingredients though. And that means well flavoured beef mince and bacon.
BEEF
For the meatloaf you see here, I use 450 grams of excellent beef mince from my Dunwood Farm Butchery delivery.
Your minced beef may come in a 500 gram pack, but it will make next to no difference to the recipe. Don’t bother altering any of the other ingredients to accommodate it.
What you mustn’t do though is use lean mince. Not only is beef fat important to the flavour of the meatloaf, but it will help to keep it moist. Use a lean mince (less than 12 per cent fat) and you may find your meatloaf crumbly when you come to slice it.
BACON
The other meaty ingredient is streaky bacon.
My preference is for smoked bacon, but use unsmoked if you prefer.
As with the beef though, please do buy free range and the best quality you can. Mine is from Denstone Hall Farm Shop, made with Packington Free Range meat.
Besides adding more flavour, the bacon also helps to keep the loaf moist.
MAKING THE MEATLOAF
Making the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is really simple.
You start by cooking a finely chopped onion in a little olive oil and butter until softened and golden. Then it’s just a case of mixing this with the rest of the ingredients: the beef, a little mature Cheddar cheese, the oregano if using, some seasoning, plus a beaten egg to help bind the meatloaf.
These are all squidged together to form a loaf shape on a roasting tray. The bacon rashers, de-rinded, are then wrapped around the whole thing.
Then it’s into the oven for 45 minutes, giving the loaf an occasional baste with those incredible, tasty juices.
Despite the fantastic aroma coming from it, do make sure you cover and rest the meatloaf for 5-10 minutes rather than digging straight in. This will make slicing easier.
SERVING BACON WRAPPED MEATLOAF
With beef, bacon, butter and cheese, Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is pretty calorific. But it’s also very filling.
So, while many people may automatically reach for the potatoes to accompany meatloaf, I find vegetables are enough to make this into a meal.
My favourite thing to do is create a bed of sauteed veg which usually includes cabbage, leek and garlic. Along with those I’ll add diced vegetables such as carrot and celeriac. When the vegetables are tender, I’ll add a dash of cream and a few herbs like parsley or chives and bubble until the cream is reduced a little, seasoning everything with plenty of pepper.
Served like this, the meatloaf will feed two or three people. But if you do want to add potatoes or perhaps a grain, then it could feed four.
Oh, and don’t forget to pour any juices from the roasting tin over the meatloaf once served!
If you do have any leftover meatloaf, then it can be frozen once cold. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in a microwave, a covered dish in the oven, or fry it.
I found, reheated the next day, the meatloaf made a sensational toasted sandwich filling with extra cheese, sliced red onion and a spicy chutney.
Have you made Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf?
Leave a comment and don’t forget to rate the recipe.
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
With good quality mince and smoked bacon, this easy meatloaf tastes so good there's no need for any sauces or gravy.
I like it on a bed of sauteed veg (cabbage, leek, carrots, celeriac, garlic) finished with a little cream and a few herbs, in which case it serves 2-3. If you prefer it with potatoes or grains as well, then it could serve 4.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 20 g butter
- 1 medium to large onion finely chopped
- 450-500 g beef mince minimum 12% fat
- 40 g mature cheddar cheese grated
- 2 tsp dried oregano optional
- 1 egg beaten
- salt and black pepper
- 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon rinds removed
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200C/180Fan/Gas 6.
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Put the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
When hot, add the chopped onion plus a little salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring often, until soft and golden (10-15 min) then set aside to cool a little.
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Put the beef mince, cheese and dried oregano in a large bowl along with the cooked onion and any fat from the pan.
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Add the beaten egg to the bowl and season everything with salt and pepper.
Mix all the ingredients together.
Tip: if you're making this for the first time, check that the seasoning is correct by taking a teaspoonful of the mixture, shaping it into a patty and cook in the frying pan. Taste, and add more seasoning to the remaining mixture if needed.
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Pile the meatloaf mixture into the centre of a shallow baking tray.
Using your hands, shape it into a loaf, pressing together. Turn it over onto each side several times, aiming to shape it into rectangular block.
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Stretch each rasher of bacon to lengthen it a little.
Starting at one short end of the meatloaf, and working your way to the other end, completely encircle the width with bacon, carefully lifting the meatloaf to get the rashers underneath.
If the rashers are too long, snip off excess and use to cover any gaps.
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Put in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, basting occasionally, until cooked all the way through.
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Take the roasting tin from the oven, cover tightly with foil and rest the meatloaf for 5-10 minutes.
Slice the meatloaf and serve on a bed of vegetables with any juice from the roasting tin poured over.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days or frozen.
Can be reheated in the microwave, in a low oven, or fried.
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