World's Best Meat Loaf
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pounds 80 percent lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground veal
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 2 small celery ribs, chopped fine
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 slices bacon
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs,
salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, rosemary, thyme, and nutmeg in large bowl until
combined. Add beef, pork, veal, bread crumbs, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, and
cheese; stir until evenly moistened and combined.
Line rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan bottom with large sheet foil; empty meatloaf
mixture into foil-lined pan and, using hands, form into 12 by 7-inch loaf. Lay bacon
strips over width of loaf, slightly overlapping slices and tucking ends underneath
loaf. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf registers
150 to 155 degrees, about 80 minutes. Using two wide metal spatulas, transfer meatloaf
to cutting board, let rest 10 minutes, slice and serve.