Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Meatloaf: A Flavorful Recipe

Name: Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Meatloaf: A Flavorful Recipe
Total time: 2 hrs
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 slices bacon, chopped; 0.5 yellow onion, chopped; 1 carrot, cubed; 1 rib celery, chopped; 1 red bell pepper, chopped; 1 fresh poblano pepper, chopped; 4 button mushrooms, chopped; 3 cloves garlic; 0.25 teaspoon dried rosemary; 2 cups fresh bread crumbs; 0.25 cup milk; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 2 pounds ground buffalo; 7 slices thick-cut bacon, or more as needed; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Many home cooks find replacing ground beef with buffalo disappointing in recipes like meatballs, burgers, and meatloaf. This is because ground buffalo is much leaner, posing a significant challenge as fat contributes significantly to both flavor and moisture. Additionally, pre-packaged buffalo is often ground very finely, almost to a paste, potentially resulting in a rubbery meatloaf if certain techniques aren't employed.

Total time2 hrs
Prep time40 mins
Cook time1 hr 10 mins
Yield6

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir chopped bacon in the hot butter until it's almost crisp, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse onion, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, mushrooms, and garlic until finely chopped. Add this vegetable mixture and rosemary to the bacon in the skillet; cook and stir until the vegetables soften and sweeten, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the vegetable mixture, bread crumbs, and milk. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Stir in the egg, salt, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add the buffalo meat to the vegetable mixture and blend thoroughly with your hands.
Transfer the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish and shape it into a 9x5x3-inch meatloaf. Arrange bacon strips crosswise over the top, tucking the ends of the bacon underneath the loaf.
In a bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard until the glaze achieves a smooth consistency.
Bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Brush the glaze evenly over the loaf and continue baking until the center is no longer pink, approximately 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register at least 155 degrees F (68 degrees C). Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 348 kcal
Fat Content: 14 g
Fiber Content: 2 g
Sugar Content: 8 g
Sodium Content: 1239 mg
Protein Content: 36 g
Cholesterol Content: 135 mg
Carbohydrate Content: 19 g
Saturated Fat Content: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g