Here is something a bit different for the barbecue. It’s a meatloaf stuffed with cheese and tomato chutney and wrapped in a bacon lattice. Serve in slices with salads and sides.
Wine Suggestion: a lovely, juicy red is what we like with this. Roc des Anges “Segna de Cor” a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah fits this bill with good deal of panache. It’s a wine that reflects the unique soils of Roussillon, but with a layer of brambly, juicy fruits on top.
Barbecued meatloaf – serves 4 to 6
- 16 slices smoked streaky bacon
- 400g beef mince
- 2 tbsp barbecue spice rub (we used Pitt Bros Charr’d Rub)
- 100g mature cheddar, grated
- 3 tbsp spicy tomato relish (we used Ballymaloe)
You need to get your barbecue prepared for indirect cooking so you can cook the meatloaf away from the direct heat of the fire.
Start by making the bacon lattice to wrap the meatloaf. Line up 8 slices of bacon vertically on a flat baking sheet. From left to right, fold every other slice in half upwards. Lay a slice horizontally across the centre of the vertical slices. Unfold the vertical slices back over the horizontal one then fold up the other set of vertical slices. Lay over another horizontal slice and unfold the foleded ones. Repeat until you have a neat lattice.
Place the beef mince over the bacon in an even layer. Sprinkle over the barbecue rub and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the cheese in a line down the centre, then spoon over the relish.
Roll the meatloaf up as tightly as you can into a neat, fat sausage. Place the meatloaf on the barbecue, seam side down, away from the fire. Cover with the lid and cook gently for 35 to 40 minutes, turning with tongs a few times so it browns all over. The meatloaf is cooked when a probe reads 65-70C.
Rest the meatloaf for a few minutes, then carve into thick slices.
(Original recipe from Foolproof BBQ by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2021.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 