This is a gem I’ve been working on for a few years now.
I finally got around to giving it the final test and it is amazing!
I use my big 12 inch cast iron skillet because this is a lot of meatloaf. But I also have a nice bit of ingredients in there to give it a really great flavor. You could use a large baking dish or anything, but it won’t taste the same without the cast iron touch.
Whatever you choose just make sure it is large enough to accompany the drippings that come from the hamburger meat. I also use a leaner burger meat for that reason. Don’t worry about it being dry or crumbly though, this baby is tried and true!
I start by cooking a 12 ounce pack of bacon. When it’s done, let it sit and drip dry, then crumble and chop it all up.
Next I dice up a medium sweet onion, and sauté it with about 3 chopped cloves of fresh garlic.
I also chopped up 1 cup of white mushrooms to add in.
Once your onion, bacon, and mushrooms are all done, you can really get started.
The Sauce
Go ahead and mix up your sauce.
I use 12 ounces of Sofrito, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2/3 cup of Carolina Treet, and 1 cup of honey BBQ sauce. Whisk it all together and set aside.
Mixing the Meat
In a large mixing bowl combine 3 pounds of lean ground beef, 3 large eggs, and 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs with your already prepared mushrooms, onion, garlic, and bacon. Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and about half of the sauce you hooked up. Finish mixing everything together until blended evenly.
- Some of the pics I took of the ingredients blended together were blurry. So I omitted them, but I assure you everything was in there by the time it hit the oven.
Preheat your skillet in the oven with a little olive oil at 350°.
When your skillet is good and hot, carefully transfer your mixture to the pan and gently form it into a nice round loaf.
Bake covered at 350° for about 40 minutes. Pull your meatloaf out and pour the remaining sauce over the top of it. Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes or until everything is nicely browned on top.
As soon as it comes out, top it with a generous sprinkling of more cheese (1 cup).
Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Loaded Skillet Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 3 lbs lean ground beef
- 3 large eggs
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 12 oz. bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 cup white mushrooms diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Sauce
- 12 oz. Sofrito
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2/3 cup Carolina Treet
- 1 cup honey BBQ sauce
Instructions
Sauce
- Whisk together 12 ounces of Sofrito, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2/3 cup of Carolina Treet, and 1 cup of honey BBQ sauce. Set aside.
Meatloaf
- Cook a 12 ounce pack of bacon. When it's done, let it sit and drip dry, then crumble and chop it all up.
- Dice up a medium sweet onion, and sauté it with about 3 chopped cloves of fresh garlic.
- Chop up 1 cup of white mushrooms to add in.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 3 pounds of lean ground beef, 3 large eggs, and 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs with your already prepared mushrooms, onion, garlic, and bacon.
- Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and about half of the sauce you hooked up. Finish mixing everything together until blended evenly.
- Preheat your skillet in the oven with a little olive oil at 350°.
- When your skillet is good and hot, carefully transfer your mixture to the pan and gently form it into a nice round loaf.
- Bake covered at 350° for about 40 minutes. Pull your meatloaf out and pour the remaining sauce over the top of it. Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes or until everything is nicely browned on top.
- As soon as it comes out, top it with a generous sprinkling of more cheese (1 cup).
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!