Crew’s Mess: Stuffed Bacon Meatloaf

Apr 6, 2019 by Capt. John Wampler

Crew’s Mess: by Capt. John Wampler

I am pre-positioning a 70-foot motor yacht to Nassau for the owner-operator, who will fly in direct from the Northeast (I fly out) and cruise their yacht in the Exumas for a week.

At the end of their trip, they tie back up in Nassau, fly back to the Northeast, and I fly in to bring the boat back to Fort Lauderdale.

After all, who wants to spend 30% of their vacation time going back and forth to where they want to spend their vacation? This way, they get to maximize the fun stuff, which is what yacht ownership is all about.

As I am running the yacht solo, with an anchor out en route, I like to prepare my meals in advance. The inspiration for this recipe comes from my friend Susie in Destin, a registered nurse who is on the keto diet.

Now, I do not profess to know what a keto diet is, but it sounds exactly like the Atkins diet. (Maybe someone can comment below.) In any case, this is a terrific meal for dinner or served cold for next-day sandwiches or “mid-rats.”

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon course black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 pounds ground sirloin
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
14 slices of bacon
6 Babybel mini cheese wheels

Preparation:

  • In a stand-mixer, add the first 12 ingredients and mix well.
  • Take half of the meat mix and press it into the bacon-prepped bread pan.
  • Next, unwrap the Babybel cheese and press it into the meat, creating a lengthwise row.
  • Cover the cheese with the remaining meat, forming a typical meat loaf.
  • Starting at the ends, pull the overhanging bacon, finishing the wrapping of the loaf.
  • Place the loaf inside a 9-inch baking pan to catch any drippings. Bake until the interior temperature reaches 160 F.
  • For the last 10 minutes of cooking, baste with your favorite barbecue sauce.  
  • Once cooked, remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minute before removing from loaf pan. Enjoy.

Capt. John Wampler (yachtaide.com) has worked on yachts for more than 30 years. His recipes are casual enough for anyone to prepare. Comments are welcome below.

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