Over-the-Top Stuffed Meatloaf

By á-24606

This classic meatloaf is also delicious without the stuffing, in which case it will serve 4-6 depending on the rest of the meal. Unstuffed it will need to cook for only about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• For the stuffing:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère, mozzarella, mild cheddar or blue cheese
• 1/4 pound best-quality ham, finely diced
• For the meat mixture:
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 pound portobello, cremini, white button or other mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped or coarsely grated
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 3/4 pound ground chuck
• 1/4 pound ground pork
• 3 thick slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups ketchup
• 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation

Step 1

1. Make stuffing: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, sauté onions, salt and pepper, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon water and remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Make meat mixture: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in top of oven. Combine onions, mushrooms, celery and garlic. Warm butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once butter is melted and foaming, add chopped vegetables, salt and pepper to pan. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are tender, translucent and beginning to color, 10 minutes. Stir in carrots and parsley, then remove pan from heat. Let cool completely.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg together with half-and-half. Stir in breadcrumbs. Use your hands to mix in ground meats, bacon and reserved sautéed vegetables until well blended. Take care not to overwork.

4. Line a large oval or rectangular baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper and grease with olive oil or spray with a non-stick spray. Place half of meat mixture in middle of baking dish. Shape into a rectangle or oval, approximately 6-by-10 inches.

5. Make an indentation about 2 inches wide down the length of meat and fill it with cooled caramelized onions. Cut ends off hard-boiled eggs and then lay them on their sides, end to end, to form a line on top of onions, leaving a ½-inch of space at each end. Sprinkle grated cheese and ham over eggs. Cover filling with remaining meat and form into a neat oblong loaf, enclosing filling.

6. Make a wide but shallow indentation down center of loaf to help contain glaze. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and dried thyme, and spoon ⅓ of glaze over top of meat loaf. Reserve remaining glaze for later use.

7. Place loaf on top rack of oven and bake 30 minutes. Spoon another ⅓ of glaze over meat. Continue to cook, using a thermometer to monitor temperature, until loaf reaches 160 degrees, 30-45 minutes more. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. In a small pan, warm remaining glaze.

8. To serve, cut generous slices, making sure everyone gets some egg. Place a spoonful of warm glaze on each slice or pass glaze at the table.