Do you put ketchup on meatloaf before or after cooking?

Whether you slather a thick layer of ketchup on top of the meatloaf before it goes into the oven , add a few tablespoons to the ground meat mixture, or serve extra ketchup on the side, this tangy-sweet, umami-rich condiment balances out the richness of the beef, making it an essential part of the dish.

Why don t you want to cook the meatloaf in the loaf pan?

By free-forming a meatloaf—not cooking it in a loaf pan— we get maximum surface area exposure, and therefore maximum flavor . So not only does it make it easier to slice and guard against sogginess, but mounding your meatloaf instead of panning it also makes your meatloaf literally tastier.

Is it better to cook meatloaf covered or uncovered?

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered . However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

Why does my meatloaf crack and fall apart?

When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough . Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rice, barley, corn flakes, crackers, and dried soup mix can also stand in as binding ingredients as well. Including larger quantities of these items should help solve the problem.

What does adding an extra egg to meatloaf do?

Eggs Add Structure Egg yolks, which are mostly water but contain a good amount of protein and fat, add flavor, richness, and moisture . They also help bind the meat together and get the loaf to set in a stable form without the need to overwork the meat.

What is the best temperature to bake meatloaf?

The oven temperature is typically set at 350 degrees F for making meatloaf. That's the temperature you want to be sure to use so the meatloaf cooks and doesn't dry out. Too high, and the outer crust will burn before the interior is cooked all the way, too low and you don't get that delicious crust.

Can you cook meatloaf in a disposable aluminum pan?

Disposable loaf pans are rectangular and commonly used for baking bread, meatloaf, or cakes .

Why do people put ketchup on their meatloaf?

Overall, ketchup adds a touch of sweetness and acidity to the meatloaf , so when you're looking for substitutions, you will want to use something that captures one or both of those tastes to really round out your dish.

What is the basic meatloaf formula with ketchup?

Mix ground beef, onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix in bread, milk, egg, 1 tbsp mustard, and 1/4 cup ketchup . Press mixture into a loaf and put in baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp mustard, 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 tbsp brown sugar.

How do you keep meatloaf from sticking to the bottom of the pan?

Parchment paper is a great option to line your pan the next time you cook meatloaf. It prevents the meat from sticking to the pan resulting in a meatloaf that is evenly cooked all the way through and looks ready to eat.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf RECIPE and VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is the best comfort food recipe you can make for dinner.

Ground beef and bacon served as mini meatloaf for individual portion sizes!Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf should appeal to all bacon lovers, and the mini meatloaf portion size should appeal to everyone.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf RECIPE and VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (1)

You know I’m a bacon lover, so you can only imagine how much I love this Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf.

If you’re familiar with my blog, you’ll know that I cook with bacon all the time. There’s nothing quite like it on earth. I love it so much I think it should be its own food group. For that matter, parmesan should have its own as well.

I digress. Let’s get back to bacon.

Bacon can and should be enjoyed at any meal. Why should breakfast have dibs on bacon when there are so many wonderful things you can do with it? Take this meatloaf wrapped in bacon. I’ve made plenty of meatloaf in my day – it is one of the best comfort foods, after all. But when I make Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf, I wrapped each little mini meatloaf in thick wonderful bacon and topped it with crispy onion pieces – OH MY. I can’t even begin to explain how good it was.

Why this recipe is different:
Reasons to make meatloaf with bacon:
How to make this recipe:
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Recipe

Why this recipe is different:

I have to admit, I made the actual meatloaf portion different than I normally do. When I had made meatloaf in the past, I had mixed the ketchup in along with water and dried onion soup mix (with the egg and bread crumbs, of course).

I went in a pretty different direction this time by including onions and garlic that I had sauteed along with milk instead of water. At first, I was hesitant, but then I reminded myself how delicious mycountry sausage gravyis and I accepted that I was pouring milk on raw meat.

Secondly, I put the ketchup mixture on the top of the bacon wrapped meatloaf instead of mixing it in. I know that’s how a lot of people make it, but I had never done it that way. The crispy fried onions on the top added the perfect amount of crunch and flavor. But most of all, creating individual servings of mini meatloaf and then serving that meatloaf wrapped in bacon – ugh, it was just so darn delicious.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf RECIPE and VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2)

Reasons to make meatloaf with bacon:

Everyone knows a bacon wrapped filet mignon is pure decadent heaven,so it was a given that this meatloaf wrapped in bacon would be outstanding. Since we buy our beef direct from a local grass fed farm, I’ve become accustomed to cooking with grass fed beef. If you haven’t made the switch over to pasture raised beef, you’ll never go back. The main difference you’ll notice, beyond the incredible taste and health benefits, is that it’s usually leaner. This is why wrapping bacon around your mini meatloaf is an even better idea! Bottom line – meatloaf wrapped in bacon is not only super moist, but the flavor can’t be beat.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf RECIPE and VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (3)

How to make this recipe:

This mini meatloaf recipe consists of three parts: the meatloaf, the topping, and the bacon.
Most meatloaf recipes call for an egg to bind everything together and some kind of starch like breadcrumbs. In lieu of the breadcrumbs, you can try using crushed crackers or even cornmeal when you make this delicious bacon meatloaf. Take care when mixing all of the mini meatloaf ingredients so that you don’t overwork the meat. Use your hands to form the mini meatloaf patties.
The sauce on top is very similar to a homemade barbecue sauce. It mixes up quickly and is the perfect addition on top of this bacon meatloaf.
I have found the easiest way to wrap the bacon around the mini meatloaf is to use longer pieces of bacon if you can find them and then squeeze the mini meatloaf patty until the bacon ends meet. No need to secure them in place but you can use a toothpick if you wish. I have also made this meatloaf with bacon in a jumbo sized muffin pan instead of a baking sheet. The muffin pan helps the bacon wrapped meatloaf hold it’s shape, but it doesn’t allow for the grease to run off.
I was a little unsure how long to cook the Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloafand was tempted to increase the temperature, but I kept it at a solid 350 degrees for a full hour and fifteen minutes. I wasn’t worried one bit that it would dry out because the bacon and the sauce were keeping everything perfectly moist and flavorful. I just waited until the bacon reached perfection and then I served them up with some fresh green beans and mashed potatoes. YUM!

This post was originally published in July 2015, but I’ve recently updated it to include the recipe video. Enjoy!

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