ErinGoScratch Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Turkey Meatloaf

...with Alabama white sauce (recipe at bottom of page).

Meatloaf is a retro dish that remains relevant today because it can be tweaked and adapted to suit any taste. It is a humble meal that can be elevated to “restaurant quality” status with a few simple tips.

1, Keep it moist- turkey is a meat with little fat. By adding moist ingredients we assure that we don’t dry it out. The bacon wrap is part of this and can be omitted if you add more moisture in mix. But bacon is gooood!

2. Use veggies that add texture and flavor. Celery, onions and peppers, but also mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, ramps or leeks.

3. Be gentle with aromatics. Don’t go overboard with herbs or it becomes something else. Like Herb.  Don’t be Herb.

Ingredients

• 3 stalks celery, small diced (about 1 cup), celery leaves reserved for garnish
• 1/2 medium onion, small diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 jalapeños chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• 8-10 strips of par cooked thick bacon (soft)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
• Barbeque  Sauce (recipe for Alabama White Sauce below)

Directions

1. Par cook your bacon and set aside.  Cook down the onion, celery and jalapeños and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, gently mix together all meatloaf ingredient with your hands until fully,  combined, but do not over-mix or the meat will be tough. Form into a loaf.

3. Layer par cooked bacon on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Place the mixture on bacon , place each bacon slice over the top to cover and tuck each strip down the sides of the loaf. Roll and wrap in aluminum foil and place in fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Pre-heat oven to 360.

4. On a baking sheet and bake in 360F oven for 45-50 minutes until juices run clear and then remove foil and place loaf on elevated rack. Coat with bbq sauce and return to oven turned up to 400F.

5. Crisp up the bacon for 25 minutes at 425, or until cooked to preference. Allow the meatloaf to sit 10 minutes before transferring to a serving platter and slicing.

Serve with veggies like Mushy Peas-

Alabama White Sauce

This is my BBQ sauce of the summer. Any tangy sauce will do, but try this one once and you will see my point.

Ingredients