Sandra Paula Deen bacon cheddar meatloaf packs ground chuck with crumbled bacon, sharp cheddar, and a ketchup-mustard glaze into a 9x5x3-inch loaf baked at 350°F. One loaf makes 6 servings and takes 70 minutes from prep to table. French fried onions crown the top in the final minutes of baking.
Paula Deen built this recipe around the same Southern comfort instincts behind her Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. Mayonnaise inside the meat is what separates this from standard meatloaf builds. Mayonnaise coats the chuck’s proteins and keeps them from seizing during baking, which would otherwise drive moisture out of the loaf.
The French fried onions go on the meatloaf after 40 minutes in the oven, not at the start. Onions under the glaze from the start absorb steam and turn limp before the center is done. Ten minutes of direct heat at the end gives them the crispy, golden top the loaf is known for.
Paula Deen Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf Recipe
Description
Deen Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf Recipe: ground chuck with crumbled bacon, sharp cheddar, and French fried onions on top. Ready in 70 minutes. Serves 6
Ingredients
Meatloaf
Glaze
Topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, crumbled bacon, cheddar, eggs, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup and mustard. Add ¼ cup of the ketchup mixture to the meat and mix to combine; reserve the remainder.
- Press the meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Spread the reserved ketchup mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and scatter the French fried onions over the loaf. Return to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the meat is no longer pink.
FAQs
Can I cook the bacon ahead of time and store it for this recipe?
Cook the bacon up to two days before mixing and store the crumbled strips in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Since the bacon goes into the raw meat mixture already cooked, it only needs to be room temperature before you combine the ingredients. Cold bacon straight from the fridge can lower the meat temperature and extend the bake time.
Can I substitute something for the French fried onions?
Crispy fried shallots are the closest match and can be used at the same 10-to-15-minute window at the end of baking. They bring the same sweet onion flavor and thin crunch without changing the structure of the topping. Panko breadcrumbs toasted in butter also work as a neutral-flavored alternative if onion is not a priority in the topping.
Does baking in a loaf pan versus a broiler pan rack change the result?
A broiler pan rack drains fat away from the meat during baking, giving a firmer, drier exterior all around the loaf. A loaf pan traps drippings around the meat, keeping the bottom and sides softer and adding more moisture to each slice. Pick the rack for crust; pick the pan for the juiciest interior.
What ground beef dinner on this site pairs well alongside this in a weekly rotation?
This meatloaf bakes for an hour, which makes it a weekend-worthy build; a faster ground beef option covers the weeknights around it. A Paula Deen Salisbury steak on Sandra Kitchen uses ground chuck in individual patties with a mushroom gravy, ready in under an hour. The two are different enough in form and flavor to anchor the same week without repeating.
What hearty Paula Deen beef recipe covers a completely different texture and cut?
Not every week calls for ground beef, and a slow-braised whole cut gives a completely different texture on the plate. A Paula Deen short ribs recipe on Sandra Kitchen uses bone-in ribs slow-cooked in beef broth until the meat falls from the bone. The two recipes share the same Southern comfort foundation but nothing else.
