The Best Meatloaf

This Meatloaf Recipe from The Pioneer Woman is the best you’ll ever try! The the loaf itself is easy to make, and the bacon-wrapped exterior packs in so much flavor! It’s brushed with a simple homemade sauce before being baked to perfection. Leftovers freeze perfectly well for future meals!

Ingredients:

Meatloaf:

• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 6 slices White Bread
• 1/3 cup Parsley minced
• 4 whole Eggs Beaten
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 12 slices Thin/regular Bacon

Sauce:

• 1+1/2 cups Ketchup
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1 dash Tabasco sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the bread to a large bowl and pour the milk on top of the slices. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
3. Add the remaining meatloaf ingredients and use your hands to combine. Try to ensure that the bread is sufficiently combined into the mixture, although try not to overmix as the ground beef will become tougher and lose some flavor.
4. Form the meat into a loaf and place it over a broiler pan to allow the fat to drain. Lining the bottom of the broiler pan with foil will make for easier cleanup.
5. Line the bacon over the top of the loaf and carefully tuck the ends under the bottom. The bacon can be used to help support the shape of the loaf. I like to line them so that they are touching, but not overlapping so that you can easily slice in between each piece of bacon when it’s cooked.
6. Combine the sauce ingredients and brush 1/3 of it over the meatloaf.
7. Bake the meatloaf for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and brush another 1/3 of the sauce over it. Bake for another 25 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes prior to slicing, letting it rest allows the juices to absorb back into the meat, cutting in too early will cause the juice to run out of the loaf.
9. Serve with the remaining sauce and enjoy! These are delicious with mashed potatoes and roasted green beans!

NOTES:

• 70% lean beef is best for meatloaf.
• Thin bacon is best with this recipe, the thinner the better!

Source: thepioneerwoman.com