Dad's Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

I recently saw a recipe on Pinterest that I simply knew we had to try, Dad's Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. I made a couple of minor modifications, and it turned out to be absolutely delicious. It is not something I would make too often as I am sure I could feel my arteries clogging as we tucked into it!

Rather that follow Ashley's recipe you could simply make your own favoured meatloaf recipe and just add the cheese and bacon as per the directions in her recipe.

Dad's Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 500 gms beef mince (ground beef)
• 500 gms sausage meat
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic (I used fresh but Ashley suggested garlic salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, diced
• 6 slices bacon
• 225 gms (8 ounces) sliced cheese 
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F).
2. Combine mince and sausage meat, eggs and 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce in a large bowl. Mix well, then add bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and onion. Set mixture aside.
3. Line the bottom of a baking tray (approx 25 x 20cm) with the bacon. Place half of the meat mixture across the top of the bacon. I didn't end up completely filling the tray as I like my meatloaf to be a little higher than had I laid flat right across the tray. Lay enough cheese across the center of the meat but, not too much as it seeps out a bit as it melts and cooks. Cover the cheese with the second half of the meat mixture and mold the meat into a loaf shape. Pull the ends of the bacon up and around the loaf.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce thinly across the loaf.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 60 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Then place some more cheese across the top and return the meat loaf to the oven and continue baking until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the meat loaf to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tip: I should have flipped my meatloaf about half way or 2/3's through cooking as the bacon started to burn on the top. I did do it about 5 mins before the end of the 60 mins when I noticed that the bacon had really started to crisp and go a bit black in areas but next time will do it earlier.