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Man loaf is not so much a meal as it is an intestinal challenge. This behemoth 3lb. meatloaf separates itself from your Mom’s dinner table by substituting some key ingredients, and adding what I call “the bacon blanket” to the top of the loaf. I start with a base of meat; instead of normal ground beef I prefer venison or veal. If you can get your hands on some fresh venison, it’s ideal. Add sausage, onion, shallots, garlic, your favorite grated cheese, and finely minced green peppers to the meat. Fold in with eggs and breadcrumbs. You want the meat “dough” to just release itself from the bowl and hold together in a ball.
The next part not only adds aesthetic value but also 100% of the bacon. Take about a pound of thick cut bacon, for this batch I used
River & Glen’s Red Wine Cured Bacon, and wove it into a lattice formation. This is easily done by going over and under every other slice. The loaf is then wrapped in the bacon blanket, placed in a pan, and cooked for about an hour at 400 degrees. You know it’s done when the bacon on top is fully cooked and starting to get crispy. I recommend using a thermometer to check that it’s cooked all the way through; it is a giant after all.
Bacon and meat combine to form this giant savory monster that cant get any better… until you add eggs to it. I’ve piped eggs into the center of the loaf before, but for this one I just added an over easy on top and let the yolk do its thing. With all this meat, you need some veggies too! For my side dish I cooked up some baby carrots in a simple bacon grease and brown sugar syrup.
This meal is guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest man you know. Meatloaf is a simple American classic dish that is easy to experiment with and never disappoints. This style is one of my favorites, and always puts me in a meat coma. For this reason, I reserve it for when I am snowed in or just generally feel like spoiling my stomach that day.
