| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced
- 2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks by hand
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 eggs
- Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 bacon slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.
- Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.
- This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 1/2 cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small “hamburger” patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.
- Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise.
- Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it’s baking every now and then to insure that the bacon browns evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 577 |
| Total Fat | 40 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 13 g |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Cholesterol | 150 mg |
| Sodium | 728 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 577 |
| Total Fat | 40 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 13 g |
| Protein | 30 g |
| Cholesterol | 150 mg |
| Sodium | 728 mg |
Reviews
Yes, I made this recipe. This is the best meatloaf I have ever had. I made it years ago when I saw Tyler make this on one of his shows and then in a cookbook. I looked it up here as I lost the book and made it again, love it. Still the best with that tomato relish, that makes the dish.
LOVE THIS RECIPE. I will make it ahead this week and freeze it without cooking it. It should be fine.
The meatloaf is delicious! I add diced celery.. If you are lucky you may have leftovers for a great sandwich the next day.
This my go-to meatloaf. I’ve been making this one for years. BEST EVER!!!!
I’ve tried so many meatloaf recipes in search of the best meatloaf on earth. This is one of the best. The tomato relish and the bacon put it over the top.
I’ve made Dad’s Meatloaf several times and it’s the VERY best meatloaf I’ve ever had. I recommend it to anyone that loves meatloaf, you will never go back from this recipe.
I wouldn’t think about another recipe after making this. Six years and another one tonight. The only change for me is running bacon the opposite direction. That way, everybody gets a slice with their slice!
This was amazing!!! I broiled it the last 5 minutes to get the bacon crisp. And half way through I drained the juice cause there was a lot. But the flavor was incredible.
This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. Sooo good!! Thank you for this recipe.
Absolutely one of the BEST meatloaf recipes around. I’ve made it for years and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. I also add sauteed mushrooms to the meat mixture. I don’t always add the bacon and it’s still delicious and moist. If you do like the bacon, try to find North Country Smokehouse uncured bacon (Whole Foods and online also). It’s incredibly good!