Bacon Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf

Bacon Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf is amazing!  Slice through the crispy bacon wrapping into the tasty, moist meatloaf to reveal more smoky bacon, melted cheese and hidden hard-boiled eggs too. Bacon Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf will banish boring, standard issue meatloaf from your dinner menu.  Enjoy this super rich meatloaf with roasted or mashed potatoes and Simple Sautéed Snow Peas for real dinner treat.  Refrigerate leftover Bacon Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf and reheat for lunch or dinner.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes Resting Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

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Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground Beef
• 1 lb ground Pork
• ½ cup unseasoned Bread Crumbs
• ½ cup Panko
• 2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbs grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tsp ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tb Garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground Fennel Seed
• ½ tsp ground Marjoram
• ½ tsp ground Sage
• ½ tsp dried Oregano leaves
• ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes
• 1 tsp chopped fresh Parsley or dried Parsley flakes
• 1 medium Onion, finely minced, approximately ½ cup
• 1 large Egg, beaten
• For the Stuffing:
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 5 or 6 thick slices Provolone or Swiss cheese or a combination of these, if you like
• 1 lb (11 or 12 slices) Smoked Bacon
• 1 rectangle of Waxed Paper, 12”x18”
• Olive Oil

Preparation:     

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, bread crumbs, panko, grated cheeses, black pepper, garlic powder, ground fennel, ground marjoram, ground sage, oregano, red pepper flakes, parsley, onion and the beaten egg. Mix to combine all the ingredients, taking care not to overmix as it will yield a very dense meatloaf.
2. Spread the seasoned ground meat on the waxed paper to form a half inch thick rectangle.
3. Cover the surface of the rectangle with the bacon slices, leaving ½ inch along each edge; then layer the sliced cheese(s) on top of the bacon.
4. Center hard-boiled eggs in a row, one behind the other, on top of the cheese slices down the length of the meatloaf.
5. With the aid of the waxed paper, roll the meatloaf on itself, closing the ends well, so as to form a kind of sausage. Diiscard the waxed paper and place the meatloaf on a suitably-sized baking sheet.
6. Ensure that the surface of the meatloaf is compact and without cracks. Press the meatloaf with your hands on each side to compact it a bit.
7. Lay bacon strips over the meatloaf, starting at one end and continue, slightly overlapping them, until the meatloaf is covered by the bacon strips. Carefully tuck the ends of the bacon strips under the meatloaf.
8. Place the meatloaf on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
10. While the oven heats, grease the meatloaf surface thoroughly with olive oil.
11. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature measures 140 F degrees and surface of the meatloaf is browned.
12. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let the meatloaf rest on the baking sheet, covered by a loose foil tent, for 10 minutes.
13. Carefully remove the meatloaf to a cutting board, slice and serve.