The Hungry Apple

I am not a meatloaf fan but this turkey meatloaf with bacon is really tasty.  I have been informed though that if you love traditional  greasy beef  meatloaf , that you might not be fooled. But it does have bacon and bacon makes everything better.

I hesitate to make this post because in pictures I haven’t found a way to make meatloaf look pretty. But here goes-

See? It just doesn’t look pretty. But what is does do? It goes well with peas and mashed potatoes. And this recipe is not greasy at all.

All the choppers.

Does anyone else cook their bacon on the side burner of the grill? I love this because then my house doesn’t smell like bacon for two days! Also, the grease doesn’t get all over the kitchen.

This is the spot where I will skip posting the picture of the raw meatloaf being mixed.

Here is the final product! The oven mitt helps make the picture prettier.

And the final “final” product. Yes I slather my meatloaf in ketchup.  I rarely use ketchup but meatloaf is the exception.

TURKEY MEATLOAF

Adapted from Emeril

Ingredients: 

6 pieces of bacon (you can use turkey bacon here but you need to use 1 tablespoon oil to cook onion and pepper)

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 small green bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (preferably 85% lean) or a blend of ground turkey thighs and breast

1 tablespoon chili powder

ketchup

Instructions and Directions: 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook bacon, until crisp. Cool and break into large crumbles (Are large crumbles really a thing you ask? Yes) Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and discard the rest.

Add onion and bell pepper, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add oats and evaporated milk. Let cool.

To the bowl, add turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper (15 twists) , and chili powder, stir well to combine. Transfer mixture to a sprayed loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until meatloaf is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in center should read 165 degrees), about 1 hour 10 minutes. 10 minutes before the meatloaf is done, remove and add ketchup design on top then return to oven.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes before slicing.

DO YOU DIG MEAT LOAVES?