Juicy Lucy Cheeseburger Meatloaf Recipe
Prep Time:
50 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour, 20 minutes
Servings:
8 Servings
Ingredients
  • 4 strips thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch strips
  • 1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup whole milk
  • ⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish, drained and brine reserved
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, divided
  • 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into ½-inch batons
  • 4 ounces American cheese, cut into ½-inch batons
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle brine (reserved from relish)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Directions
  1. Add the bacon to a skillet over medium-low heat.
  2. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the crispy bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  4. Add the onions to the bacon fat and cook over medium-low heat until deeply caramelized, about 20 minutes.
  5. Add the crispy bacon back to the skillet with the onions, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
  6. In a large bowl, mix the panko with the milk and let stand for 5 minutes.
  7. Whisk in the Kewpie mayo, pickle relish, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon, garlic powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  8. Add the ground beef to the bowl and fold in by hand, taking care not to over-mix.
  9. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  11. Shape ⅔ of the meat into a rectangle on the baking sheet and make a trough down the center.
  12. Layer the cheese with the cooled bacon-onion filling inside the trough.
  13. Flatten the remaining ⅓ meat mixture over the filling, pressing the edges firmly to create a tight seal around the cheese and bacon filling.
  14. In a small bowl, mix the ketchup, remaining Dijon, dill pickle brine, smoked paprika, and remaining black pepper.
  15. Brush the sauce over the top and sides of the meatloaf.
  16. Bake the meatloaf for about 50 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 F.
  17. Rest the meatloaf for 15 minutes to set, then slice and serve with your favorite sides.