Originally shared in 2013.

As a kid, I remember unlocking my aluminum lunchbox to find a meatloaf sandwich wedged between my thermos and my much-coveted Devil Dog. I was a bit of an oddball – I couldn’t stand the peanut butter and fluff sandwiches most of my classmates loved. Something about the sticky white mess clinging to their cheeks in little peaks and valleys made my stomach turn. Or maybe it was the overpowering scent of peanut butter wafting from their sticky fingers. Whatever the reason, the quintessential childhood sandwich was never my sandwich of choice.

I’m sure my friends found my lunch strange, or maybe they secretly coveted it, but I ate my meatloaf sandwich with gusto, without a crumb or smudge of ketchup on my cheek! I loved those sandwiches. The last one I had was from Duckworth’s Beach Gourmet last year, and I could write an entire paragraph about that masterpiece alone.

I used to buy meat shares to supply our family with locally raised meat. We would pay our friends to raise a cow for a year on their farm, and at the end of the year we would split the meat and store it in our basement freezer. That meat would last us for months. Nowadays, I buy pasture-raised meat from local farms. We are lucky to have so many nearby that raise their cattle on grass. Buying a meat share from a farm means you pay a set fee for so many pounds of meat, usually 20-40 pounds.
My last 20 pound meat share from Miles Smith Farm included:
– Kabobs/Stew Beef – approx. 3 lbs
– London Broil steaks – approx. 2 lbs
– T-Bone/Porterhouse – approx. 2 lbs
– Sirloin Steaks – approx. 2 lbs
– Eye Round/Top Round Roasts – approx. 3 lbs
– Ground Beef – approx. 10 lbs

Getting a meat share is a lot like joining a CSA; you don’t get to pick and choose what cuts or how much of one cut you receive. You get what you get and you don’t get upset! That means embracing all the cuts, including an abundance of ground beef. And when you’ve got pounds of it piling up, creativity becomes a necessity.

I started making this meatloaf recipe after one too many nights of staring into the frozen abyss of my freezer, where package upon package of ground beef stared right back at me. I had unknowingly worked my way through all the prime cuts, leaving behind a stockpile of one-pound packs of lean ground beef. Let’s be honest—there are only so many burgers and shepherd pies a person can make.

That’s when I thought back to my childhood meatloaf sandwiches and the unforgettable one I had at Duckworth’s last year. Inspired, I pulled out two pounds of ground beef, a pound of ground pork, and got to work.

Here’s the thing about making meatloaf (or meatballs): you have to get your hands in there. My grandfather Pasquale swore by it – there’s no better way to mix the ingredients than by hand. So, before you begin, make sure your fingernails are short, clean, and polish-free, because this is a messy, hands-on job. Clip those nails, scrub up with hot, soapy water, and get squishing.

For best results, use a meatloaf pan—it ensures even cooking and lets the excess fat drain away.

Bacon Cheese Meat Loaf
Ingredients:
2# lean ground beef
1# lean ground pork
8oz. cheddar cheese, cubed (I use organic, raw milk cheddar)
1 yellow onion, minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½C fresh breadcrumbs (I crush saltines or golden rounds using a mallet or rolling pin)
1t sea salt
1t fresh ground pepper
1t fresh thyme leaves, minced
1t fresh oregano, minced
1T fresh parsley, minced
3 slices of apple smoked nitrate-free bacon, cut in half

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.

Using your scrupulously clean hands, combine the beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, sea salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and parsley and use your fingers to combine all ingredients. Add the cubed cheddar cheese and mix in making sure to evenly distribute the cheese. Set aside.

Place 2 slices of bacon in the center of the meatloaf pan. Form the meat into a loaf shape (do not over compress the meat or it gets hard) and place into the loaf pan on top of the bacon. Top the loaf with the other 4 slices of bacon. (We aren’t looking to completely wrap the meatloaf in bacon).

Roast at 400° for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the oven temp down to 375° and roast for another 30 minutes or until the center has reached 160° with a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

While the meat is resting, warm the sauce.

Sauce Ingredients:
½C ketchup
2T dijon mustard
2T brown sugar
1T worcestershire sauce

Sauce directions:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat on low until warm and the sugar is dissolved.

Note:
Using a meatloaf pan allows the fat to drain off. Without the insert it is a perfect loaf pan.
# = pound
T = Tablespoon
t = teaspoon