Are you cooking for your dad or husband this Father’s Day? You should, he will love it, especially if you make him a wonderful meatloaf burger. As you would expect it’s a mass of ground meat, in this case, veal, pork and beef, garnished with bacon, cornichons and lashings of tomato ketchup, sandwiched between a warm kaiser roll with dipping sauce on the side.
I created this meatloaf burger while working on my burger recipes for my burger lab series. Meatloaf burgers are wickedly meaty, comfort food at it’s best. It’s a meal made for dads who really enjoy meat. There’s no secret recipe here, meatloaf burgers are simply meatloaf cut into the shape of burgers and combined with traditional ingredients to make a juicy, crumbly and an oh so satisfying meal.
You can freeze what is left over after cutting out burger shapes from your meatloaf. These trimmings will make a fab meatloaf sandwich whenever the desire arises.
A meatloaf burgers is by no means a traditional burger, it comes with a dipping sauce to add even more flavor which can make eating it a messy experience. The eater will have to get involved in their burger. They are a gastronomic feat, so if you are concerned that your dad or husband will have trouble getting through one, you can make sliders instead, which is the only way I can get through a meatloaf burger. My friend Trevor, on the other hand, inhaled his meatloaf burger no problem! I guess what I’m saying here is – know what your dad or husband can handle.
I only wish my dad was still around, I would make him his very own meatloaf burger and watch his eyes light up as he enjoyed this man-sized meaty wonder on Father’s Day. So I implore you, do what I can no longer do, and make your Father’s Day.
Meatloaf Burger
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onions minced
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 10 oz ground sirloin
- 10 oz ground veal
- 10 oz ground pork
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 5 thick cut bacon rashers cut in half
- Extra tomato ketchup for dipping sauce
- 2 kaiser rolls
- 10 cornichons cut in half lengthways
Equipment & Utensils
- Sauté pan/Skillet/Fry Pan
- Large bowl
- Large two pronged fork
- 9 " x 5" loaf pan
- Baking sheet
- Small saucepan
- Food rings or a can with the top and bottom removed
Instructions
- Heat oil in pan then add onions and garlic.
- Sauté onions and garlic until scent releases and begin to soften.
- Add salt, pepper, tomato ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and sauté until ingredients are thoroughly combined, then set aside.
- Tip ground meats into large bowl and carefully combine using a large two pronged fork.
- Add onion and garlic mixture and then breadcrumbs and combine using large two pronged fork.
- Gently push meatloaf mixture into loaf pan and layer bacon pieces on top.
- Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and then into a preheated oven at 350 and cook for approx. 1 hour
- Check meatloaf a couple of times while cooking and pour out and reserve juices that release.
- Once cooked the internal temperature of the meatloaf should register at 160.
- Allow meatloaf to sit for 5 mins and then pour out last of fluid remaining.
- You should have a decent reserve of meatloaf juices, drain excess oil from meatloaf juices and then add what is left to pan and add ketchup to taste.
- Heat on medium and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Remove from heat before sauce begins to boil and then set aside.
- Remove bacon pieces from top of meatloaf and set aside, then carefully tip out meatloaf.
- Cut out burger shapes from meatloaf with a food ring or prepared can and set aside.
- Halve kaiser rolls then spread a generous amount of tomato ketchup to the inside of the top and bottom halves of rolls.
- On bottom half of kaiser rolls, carefully place meatloaf burgers then layer with sliced cornichons and bacon.
- Place top half of kaiser roll on top.
- Serve with dipping sauce on the side.
