Yummilicious Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
There is only one reason to make anything bacon wrapped, it is because everything is better with bacon! Kidding aside, when I use a lean meat like ground chicken, turkey or veal, I often feel that adding bacon really helps. It is not awesome for some of us watching what we eat, but men sure love it after a hard days work!
I do like ground beef meatloaf and I know my kids love it too, but they also love this one! When using lean meats, I usually add some kind of fresh sausage, or in this case, pork, pork has gotten a bad rap for a long time, but I know that there is no reason today to stay away from it as we can get it lean and it adds a lot of flavor to a dish.
There are so many ways to make bad meatloaf, buying it already made is one of them. It takes little time to make, with this recipe, you can easily make three smaller loaves and freeze the rest.
There are so many ways to make great meatloaf, a few things to keep in mind, do not overcook it. Add plenty of salt. Add plenty of paprika, smoked paprika being my favorite. Add as many veggies as you want, it adds to texture and moistness. I hope you try this recipe and love it!
Yummilicious Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Gluten free
Yield: 18
Yield for my family: 12
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. veal
2 lbs. pork
1 ½ c. ricotta (about 1 container)
1 stalk celery
1 red pepper
½ green pepper
1 c. diced onions
2 tbsp. coarse salt
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. smoked paprika (any paprika will work!)
3 eggs
2 lbs. bacon
INSTRUCTIONS:
Set oven to 375°F.
Place the meat in a large bowl.
Place the vegetables in the food processor and mix till fine but not liquid. Add to the meat, add the ricotta, salt, pepper and paprika.
Use a spatula or your hands to mix it well, do not over mix.
Form a l8 inch log on a rimmed baking sheet, or two smaller if you have a smaller rimmed baking sheet, I use parchment paper under mine, but that is optional, it simply makes for an easier clean up. Cover the meat log with bacon, make it look pretty, why not eh? Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Black ground pepper and bacon are best friends!
Cook in the oven for 1 hour, check for doneness. (It really should be cooked through.)
Remove, let it rest for 10 minutes and serve. Bon appétit!
