Bacon-wrapped turkey meatloaf is a delicious twist on the classic comfort food that will elevate your dinner game to the next level. This dish is perfect for any occasion, whether hosting a family gathering or just looking for an easy weeknight meal.
In this article, we'll share our favourite recipe for bacon-wrapped turkey meatloaf and some tips on how to make it perfectly every time.
Jump to:
While the exact origin of the bacon-wrapped turkey meatloaf recipe is still being determined, it is believed to have emerged as a variation of the traditional meatloaf dish in the early 2000s. This new recipe, like my homemade pork spam recipe, may have been born to make meatloaf more exciting or to create a unique and flavourful dish for special occasions.
Adding bacon to the turkey meatloaf provides a smoky and salty flavour that complements turkey's slight and mild taste. Wrapping the meatloaf in bacon also helps to keep the meat moist during cooking and creates a visually appealing dish.
Ingredients
Let me show you the list of ingredients I used in this recipe. The main ingredient is turkey meat; I used 600 g of turkey breast, from which I will make minced meat. You can buy minced turkey meat if you don't have a meat grinder at home.
In this minced turkey meat, I added the following:
- three eggs, two of which will be hard-boiled and one raw, which will bind the composition;
- 50 g grated cheddar cheese or other fermented cheese;
- and I added three slices of bread, which I soaked in 100 ml of milk.
In addition to these ingredients, the meat must also be seasoned, so I added: a bunch of finely chopped parsley, a teaspoon of sea salt, garlic granules, paprika, pepper cream and half a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper.
The turkey meatloaf will be wrapped in 300 g of smoked bacon strips, giving it a unique smoked flavour and taste.
How to Make the Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Meatloaf?
Preparing the Ingredients
Because, as I said, I will make the minced meat at home, I cut the turkey breast into smaller pieces to make it easier to mince. Those who use minced meat can skip this step.
With the help of an electric chopper or meat grinder, I chopped the meat very finely until it became almost like a paste.
I very finely chopped a bunch of green parsley, which will also give the dish a little colour in addition to the aroma.
I pre-boiled two eggs for ten minutes, then peeled them and cut them into cubes. The pieces of boiled egg white will look lovely in the meatloaf slices.
Combine the Ingredients for Meatloaf
Put the minced turkey meat in a bowl and add a raw egg, the slices of bread soaked in milk and squeezed well, the chopped parsley, the grated cheddar cheese and all the spices: sea salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika, pepper cream and garlic granules.
I mixed all these ingredients well by hand until I got a homogeneous paste.
I added the hard-boiled eggs cut into cubes and gently incorporated them into this meat paste, trying as much as possible to keep them whole.
Put this mixture aside because we have to prepare the baking dish.
Wrap the Meatloaf
Take a loaf tin and grease it with butter, which will help the bacon slices stick well, and in the end, you can remove the turkey meatloaf from it more easily.
Place the smoked bacon strips on the bottom of the baking dish so that the ends remain outside.
Place the entire amount of meat paste in baking form over the bacon, and with the spatula, level it evenly. Hence, there are no voids or holes inside.
Wrap the meatloaf with the free bacon ends, pressing with your hand to fix it well.
It doesn't matter if the bacon doesn't cover the meat perfectly because it will be underneath after we remove it from the loaf tin and won't be visible.
Bake the Dish
Put the baking dish in the oven at 200 C (392 F) for an hour, during which time the meat will be perfectly done, and the bacon will be well-fried.
We will need to fry the bacon from the other side, and for this, prepare a baking tray covered with baking paper on which we turn the meatloaf from the loaf tin.
A recommendation at this stage: be careful when removing the meatloaf from the tin because it contains a mixture of melted butter and lard from the bacon. It is better to drain it first in a cup.
Put the pan in the oven, this time at 230 C (446 F), for ten minutes until the bacon is fried and has a copper colour. Let the meatloaf rest for five minutes before slicing it.
With this, I finished my bacon-wrapped turkey meatloaf recipe, a particular dish that is lovely and tasty.
F.A.Q.
Here are a few possible causes and solutions:
-Adding too much liquid to the meat mixture can make it too soft and prone to falling apart; that's why it's good to squeeze the soaked bread well.
-Cooking at too high a temperature: If the temperature is too high, the outside of the meatloaf can cook too quickly and become overdone, while the inside may still be raw.
-Letting the meatloaf rest for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven allows the juices to redistribute and the meatloaf to set up.
Yes, you can wrap bacon around the meatloaf. It's a popular way to add flavour and moisture to the meatloaf while giving it a crispy, delicious crust.
There are several secrets to making moist meatloaf, like using moistening agents like eggs and milk; don't overmix the meatloaf mixture because it can cause it to become rigid and dry and let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes before slicing it.
Serving the Turkey Meatloaf
This turkey meatloaf can be served both hot and cold. It's delicious when served warm with a simple potato salad or creamed spinach. Still, it's also great cold as a sandwich in a baguette with a bit of arugula and mayonnaise.
If you liked my turkey meatloaf recipe and you are a turkey fan, I recommend a few more recipes from our blog that will surely delight you:
- Stuffed Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
- Turkey Schnitzel Recipe
- Turkey Lasagna With White Sauce
- Turkey Cabbage Stew Recipe
- Dutch Oven Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
- Best Turkey Cacciatore Recipe
- Healthy Baked Turkey Cutlets With Vegetables
- Simple Turkey Fried Rice Recipe
Follow Us
To keep up to date with our delicious recipes, follow us on our Facebook or Instagram pages, where we post regularly. You can also pin our recipes on Pinterest and, more recently, see us at work on our new YouTube channel.
If you have tried this bacon turkey meatloaf recipe, post a picture so we can see how it turned out.
Related
You can also try these interesting but tasty turkey recipes, such as:
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Meatloaf (Tender & Never Dry)
Equipment
- 1 Standard loaf tin approx. 20-22 cm / 8-9 inch
- 1 large baking tray sheet pan
- 1 mixing bowl large
- 1 meat grinder food processor (optional, only if mincing meat from scratch)
- 1 Instant-read digital meat thermometer
- 1 Baking Paper parchment paper
Ingredients
- 600 g turkey breast meat or lean turkey mince
- 300 g smoked bacon strips thin rashers
- 3 slices white bread
- 100 ml milk
- 1 piece egg large, free-range, raw
- 2 pieces eggs large, hard-boiled, peeled and diced into cubes
- 50 g cheddar cheese finely grated
- 1 bunch parsley finely grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika Hungarian sweet
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper cream Piros Arany or sweet pepper paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt fine
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the loaf tin
Instructions
- Prep the turkey and panade: If using whole turkey breast, cut into small chunks and mince finely using a meat grinder or food processor. In a shallow bowl, soak the bread slices in milk for 2 to 3 minutes, then squeeze out the excess liquid firmly with your hands and shred the bread into pieces.
- Season the mince: In a large bowl, combine the minced turkey, squeezed bread panade, raw egg, grated cheddar, chopped parsley, sea salt, black pepper, garlic granules, sweet paprika, and pepper cream. Mix thoroughly by hand until a uniform, sticky mixture forms.
- Fold in the boiled eggs: Add the diced hard-boiled eggs to the bowl. Gently fold them into the mince with your hands or a spatula, taking care not to crush them so the cubes remain intact.
- Line and wrap: Generously grease the loaf tin with butter. Line the tin with the smoked bacon strips crosswise, overlapping them slightly and leaving the ends hanging over the edges. Press the turkey mixture firmly into the tin to remove any air pockets, then fold the bacon ends tightly over the top to encase the meat.
- Stage 1 (Moisture-Locking Bake): Bake on the middle rack at 200°C (392°F) for 60 minutes.
- Drain and invert: Carefully remove the tin from the oven. Gently tilt the tin over a heatproof cup to pour off the accumulated rendered bacon fat and juices. Place a parchment-lined baking tray upside-down over the tin, then carefully invert both together and lift the tin away.
- Stage 2 (Bacon Crisp): Increase the oven temperature to 230°C (446°F) and bake the exposed meatloaf on the tray for 10 minutes, until the bacon turns deep copper-brown and crisp. Check with an instant-read thermometer-the internal temperature in the centre must reach 74°C (165°F).
- Rest and slice: Transfer to a cutting board and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes so the juices settle and the cheese sets. Slice with a sharp serrated knife and serve.
Video
Notes
- Store-Bought Mince: If buying pre-ground turkey, 7% to 8% lean mince or turkey thigh mince delivers exceptional juiciness. If using 2% ultra-lean breast mince, do not skip the bread panade or bacon wrap.
- Drain the Grease: Always pour off the rendered fat before flipping the loaf onto the baking tray to prevent hot splatters and ensure the bottom doesn't get greasy.
- Internal Temperature: Lean poultry dries out quickly if overcooked. Pull the meatloaf as soon as the centre registers 74°C (165°F).
- Resting is Essential: Cutting the loaf straight out of the oven will cause the slices to crumble. Resting for 10 minutes guarantees clean mosaic slices.
- Storage & Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in a 180°C (350°F) oven or air fryer for 4-6 minutes to re-crisp the bacon exterior.
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
Vasile says
Try this recipe, it's so delicious...