Bacon Wrapped Gouda Stuffed Meatloaf

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Cooks have been mixing chopped meat with grains, rice, and vegetables for thousands of years. Originally the purpose was to extend the meat thereby getting protein to more people. Additionally, these preparations insured that nothing went to waste, and they allowed for tougher cuts of meat to be made more palatable. Early preparations were made with meat that was already cooked rather than the raw ground meat preparations of today.

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Modern meatloaf or American meatloaf, made with raw ground beef, doesn’t really appear in American cookbooks with regularity until the 30’s and 40’s.

This is a take on meatloaf that I think will become a favorite once you try it. Suffice it to say this ain’t your mom’s meatloaf.

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How To Make Stuffed Meatloaf

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Dice the celery, carrot and onion to 1/8-inch dice.

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Ingredients for stuffed meatloaf: celery, carrot, onion, thyme, butter, brown rice, and breadcrumbs.

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Coarse ground beef for meatloaf.

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Sweat the celery, carrot, and onion in the butter until the onion is translucent.

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Spray the loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with the bacon.

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Combine the ground beef, celery, carrot and onion mixture, breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with kosher salt and cracked pepper.

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Mix the meatloaf until everything is uniformly distributed.

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Cut the gouda into 1-inch squares the length of the brick.

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Add half of the mixture to the loaf pan and press it down to make a flat even surface area, thereby completely filling the bottom half of the pan.

Arrange the gouda in two rows pressing it slightly into the meat mixture. Add the remaining meat mixture and press it firmly into the pan, creating a smooth even loaf. Wrap the bacon strips up and over the top of the loaf insuring the entire loaf is covered.

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Bake the meatloaf until a probe thermometer, inserted into the center of the loaf, registers 160º F / 70º C.

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Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Meatloaf

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• Yield: one 9-inch meatloaf
• Prep Time: about an hour
• Cook time: about 45 minutes
• Oven: 350º F / 175º C

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Equipment

• 9-inch non-stick loaf pan

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons / 28 grams pastured butter 
• 1 carrot, fine dice
• 1 stalk celery, fine dice
• 1/2 yellow onion, fine dice
• 1 pound / 450 grams uncured bacon
• 2 pounds / 1 kilogram Coarse ground pastured beef
• 3 ounces / 85 grams brown rice, cooked
• 3-1/2 ounces / 100 grams bread crumbs
• 7 to 9 sprigs thyme, picked
• 5 jumbo or 6 extra large eggs, ideally organic free range
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 10 ounces / 285 grams pastured gouda, cut into 4 or 5 equal size rectangles

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 350º F / 175º C. 
2. Melt the butter over a low to medium heat in a sauce pan. Once melted add the celery, carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper and stir or toss to evenly coat the mixture. Cook over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a plate. Allow to cool to room temperature. (See note 1)
3. Meanwhile, coat the loaf pan with non-stick spray oil. Line the pan with the bacon slices by alternating the strips of bacon to each side of the pan. When you finish set the pan aside.
4. Combine the beef, rice, breadcrumbs, thyme and eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the celery, carrot, and onion mixture. Season to taste with kosher salt and cracked pepper.
5. Using your hands thoroughly mix and combine the mixture in the bowl. Once everything seems to be thoroughly mixed remove a small piece and fry it off to taste it for seasoning. Adjust as needed.
6. Add half of the mixture to the loaf pan and press it down to make a flat even surface area, thereby completely filling the bottom half of the pan.
7. Arrange the gouda in two rows pressing it slightly into the meat mixture. Add the remaining meat mixture and press it firmly into the pan, creating a smooth even loaf. Wrap the bacon strips up and over the top of the loaf insuring the entire loaf is covered.
8. Place the loaf pan on a sheet pan and place in the oven, on the center rack. Bake until a thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf reaches 160º F / 70º C. (See Note 2)
9. Remove and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Un-pan the loaf. Insert a knife along the edges going all the way around the pan. Place a cutting board over the top of the loaf and invert the board and pan together. Lift the loaf pan off of the meatloaf. (See note 3)
10. Place a rectangular plate over the bottom of the meatloaf and invert it onto the plate.

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Notes

1. If you prefer you can add the thyme to the celery, carrot, onion mixture in step one. If you choose to add the thyme to the mirepoix add it in once the onions are translucent and give about a minute and a half.
2. If you don’t line the loaf pan with a sheet pan you are going to have bacon fat all over the bottom of your oven. Not fun.
3. When you turn the meatloaf out onto the cutting board the loaf may separate in the center where the cheese layer is. Don’t panic if this happens, simply grab a thin spatula and run it along the underside of the loaf remaining in the pan to unstick it. Then invert the loaf pan over the meatloaf again. Once you invert it onto the plate no one will ever know.

Tags: stuffed meatloaf, cheese meatloaf recipe, bacon wrapped meatloaf, how to make meatloaf

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