Bacon Weaved Stuffed Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Sounds weird but super excellent at the same time? You're not alone!!

I first found a recipe for this years ago and was scared to make this. My fiancee was NOT a meatloaf fan and made that known when I told him what I had cooked. After our first meal with this 7 years ago, it's now a must have in our house by him and our picky kids.

It's simple...like cheeseburgers? Like bacon? This IS for you! Can be made without the bacon, but that's just unamerican to not like bacon.

This is not for those watching calories or fat.

1-1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup  bread crumbs
Bag of Shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large onion, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons regular or low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons relish (optional, we use dill relish)
2 teaspoons mustard (dry or regular- I've found regular bottled is better)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 eggs

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to gently but thoroughly mix together the meat, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the cheese, onion, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt, pepper and eggs. The crumbs is really a feel as you go thing. Start with about 1/4 cup and add more little at a time if mixture is too runny and slimy. I like mine sticky but firm enough to be able to mold.

 

 

Put 3/4 of mixture into a loaf pan. Hollow down the middle and work the sides up to make a hole down  the center for cheese. Fill the hole in center with cheese. 

 

Take the remaining mixture and cover the top. Make sure to pinch the top to the bottom to make sure cheese does not melt out the side.

On the side take a pack of bacon and make a bacon weave. Takes 10 pieces (I got jipped on this run that I photographed for this blog and only had 9, it worked). Lay 5 side by side. Now take one single piece and lay in the opposite way, but weave between pieces by picking up every other piece and laying the single new piece of bacon below it. Takes some practice. 

 

Take the loaf out the pan and place on the bacon weave upside down. 

 Pull bacon weave around the loaf. Push bacon together to make it stick together. Carefully pick up weaved loaf and tighten all edges tightly around.

 

Place back into loaf pan.

Bake until the loaf is firm and the bacon is crisp on top. Internal temperature should be 155 degrees. Times vary, 45 minutes- hour and half. I cut into loaf after 45 minutes to checks. *TIP* Occasionally take loaf out of oven and drain grease!!!! A lot will be produced from hamburger and bacon

 

Remove and cover the top of loaf with cheese. Bake until melted. 

 

Cut and serve with favorite sides. We cover our slices in ketchup and not the loaf itself due to some of us prefer it without. It you like yours with ketchup, you can add it before covering loaf with the bacon weave.