We had a ton of mushrooms on hand for some reason, I was thinking I'd make some kind of mushroom sauce to use them up - when I searched for mushroom recipes I saw a few for mushroom swiss meatloaf, hmmm...well that's a good idea. I followed this recipe found at creativescookery and it turned out really good - it wasn't very juicy though and I like sauce haha so next time I'll probably tweak this a bit by adding more ketchup and maybe using a higher fat content ground beef, everyone else in the house did not think it needed anything different so maybe make it as written the first time around and then tweak it next time if you're like me.
So the picture that is shown on the site with the recipe has thick gooey melted cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and pieces of cooked bacon on top - but the recipe does not say to finish it that way which is a weird oversight. I winged it after it was baked to finish it more like their photo, if you do the same take into consideration you'll need more of those ingredients - I didn't have enough shredded cheese to layer it on top like the picture shows or extra bacon, I just sprinkled on what I had left of the cheese and topped with sautéed sliced mushrooms.
Another issue I have is if you read their whole post (not just jumping to the recipe like I usually do, I don't need to know the history of meatloaf I just want the recipe already LOL) the directions in the step-by-step instructions section are different than what the actual recipe states - they don't look the mushrooms and onions first; they layer the meat mixture with cheese so it 'creates a delicious filling that will melt as the meatloaf cooks, and top it with cheese before baking; and it also says 'don't forget to taste the mixture to ensure it's seasoned to your preference' - except it is raw ground beef and pork and you cannot taste it before baking! Ok, I'll stop complaining now hahahah.
Here is the recipe as written, you can check out their site to read more about the history of meatloaf and get some unintentional (I assume the errors are unintentional!) options for different ways to make this meatloaf:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup ketchup (for topping)
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare Ingredients: In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble it. In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onions and mushrooms until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are translucent. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Meatloaf: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, cooked bacon, shredded Swiss cheese, sautéed onions, and mushrooms. Add the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Shape and Bake: Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a baking dish or on a lined baking sheet. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of ketchup evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) and the meatloaf is fully cooked through.
- Rest and Serve: Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle. Then, serve.
