Bacon wrapped meatloaf is amazing. Wrapping the meatloaf in bacon imparts wonderful smoky flavor, and keeps the meatloaf from drying out.
Bacon wrapped meatloaf is keto, low carb and so very tasty. Wrapping the meatloaf in bacon imparts a wonderful smoky flavor, and keeps the meatloaf from drying out. The Dijon-maple glaze is optional, but even with it, a serving of this dish has only 4 grams of carbs.
Bacon makes everything better
I love bacon (duh), and I love meatloaf – it’s such a tasty comfort food. So it only makes sense that combining these two loves would create something really, really good.
Indeed – bacon makes everything better, and meatloaf is no exception. And how about these super cute bacon wrapped mini meatloaves? Tasty and adorable!
MY LATEST VIDEOSWrapping the meatloaf in bacon keeps the meatloaf from drying out, which is definitely a bonus, especially if you’re low carb and/or paleo and you don’t use milk-soaked bread in the meatloaf.
There ARE ways to keep low carb meatloaf juicy – check out this meatloaf recipe. But for sure, The bacon wrap does a really good job of keeping the bacon wrapped meatloaf nice and juicy.
The Dijon-maple glaze is optional, but it’s wonderful and very highly recommended. It adds lots of flavor, and the sweet-salty combination is so good.
I don’t add eggs to the meatloaf mixture, because I think they are unnecessary. I do add lots of Parmesan cheese, which apart from flavoring the meatloaf also helps absorb the cooking juices, keeping them in the meatloaf.
Beef, bacon, parmesan… is this really a healthy recipe?
I believe it is, with a small caveat. Fresh unprocessed beef is very nutritious. Cheese, as it turns out, is harmless.
Bacon, even natural uncured bacon, is a highly processed food, so I wouldn’t classify it as healthy. However, I don’t think it’s any worse than other processed meats. The high-fat content isn’t an issue in my opinion. Here’s a good, unbiased article on the pros and cons of bacon.
Personally, I agree with the author’s bottom line: bacon in moderation is fine. How do I define moderation? A couple of slices a day. For your own body, and your own family, you should do what you feel comfortable with.
How to serve bacon wrapped meatloaf?
Since this is such a rich main course, I like to serve it with a simple side of vegetables. I often serve bacon wrapped meatloaf with roasted radishes, roasted bell peppers, or sauteed spinach.
What about leftovers?
Leftovers keep quite well in the fridge for 3-4 days, but the bacon does lose its crispiness when refrigerated. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave on 50% power.
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
Ingredients
- Oil spray for pan
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Meatloaf:
- 2 lb. lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 8 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit it with a wire rack. Spray the wire rack with oil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard and maple syrup to make the sauce. Divide into two portions. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and Parmesan.
- Shape into a loaf (using a standard loaf pan as shown in the video helps shape the meatloaf). Wrap the meatloaf with the bacon slices, tucking their edges under the meatloaf, as shown in the video.
- Place the wrapped meatloaf on the prepared rack. Brush with half the sauce. Bake 30 minutes.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Using a clean pastry brush, brush it with the remaining sauce. Return to the oven and bake until bacon is crisp and the meatloaf's internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 30 more minutes.
- Allow the bacon wrapped meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into eight thick slices and serving.
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