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Chef John's Zombie Meatloaf
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Prep Time:
45 minutes
Cook Time:
65 minutes
Total Time:
120 minutes
Zombie Meatloaf: Bacon-wrapped with Bloody sauce for a spooky Halloween feast.
Ingredients:
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups diced yellow onion
  • 0.5 cup diced celery
  • 1 (8 ounce) package brown mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 pounds lean ground beef
  • 0.75 cup plain dry bread crumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 onion
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 pound bacon strips
  • 0.25 cup barbeque sauce
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 1 dash hot sauce, or to taste
Instructions:
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a pan over medium-high heat, melt butter until sizzling. Cook onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon salt until golden and dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before using.
  • Mix 2 teaspoons of salt with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and combine everything using your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
  • For zombie eyes, carefully cut 2 round slices, each about 1/2-inch-thick, from the second onion. Place 1 clove in the center of each slice. Then, dice a 1-inch-wide section of the remaining onion to create zombie teeth.
  • Shape the meatloaf mixture into a zombie skull on the baking sheet, using damp hands to make it 3 to 4 inches tall. Create indents for the eyes, nose, and mouth. Lay bacon over the skull, covering most of it, and add onion eyes and teeth. Tuck any loose bacon ends under the sides with a spatula. Cover the onion eyes with foil to prevent browning.
  • Roast in the oven until the meatloaf reaches 155°F (68°C) internal temperature, approximately 1 hour.
  • Combine barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, and hot sauce in a bowl to create the bold blood sauce.

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