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How to Make Chef John's Zombie Meatloaf - A Step-by-Step Guide

Chef John's Zombie Meatloaf is a spooktacular and creative dish perfect for Halloween or any ghoulish gathering. This recipe takes the classic comfort food of meatloaf and turns it into a fun and frightful presentation that is sure to impress your friends and family.

With its gory appearance and delicious flavor, Chef John's Zombie Meatloaf is the perfect dish to serve at a Halloween party or themed dinner. This recipe combines ground beef, onions, garlic, and a variety of seasonings ...

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 1 (8 ounce) package brown mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 pounds lean ground beef
  • ¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 onion
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 pound bacon strips
  • ¼ cup barbeque sauce
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1 dash hot sauce, or to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins
  • Additional Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute diced onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon salt until the mixture dries out and starts to turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  • Combine remaining 2 teaspoons salt, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Add cooled vegetable mixture. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
  • Slice 2 round sides, about 1/2-inch-thick, off the second onion for the zombie eyes. Push 1 clove into the center of each slice. Cut a 1-inch-wide section off the remaining onion and dice into chunks to form zombie teeth.
  • Transfer meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and use damp hands to shape into a zombie skull shape that is 3 to 4 inches tall. Form indents to represent the eyes, nose, and mouth. Drape bacon over the face, covering most of the meatloaf. Add onion eyes and teeth. Tuck in loose ends of bacon under the sides with a spatula. Cover the onion eyes with aluminum foil to prevent browning.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F (68 degrees C), about 1 hour.
  • Stir barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, and hot sauce together in a bowl to make the blood sauce.

    • Nutrition

    641 cal.

    • Total Fat: 41g
    • Saturated Fat: 18g
    • Cholesterol: 196mg
    • Sodium: 1600mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 22g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Total Sugars: 9g
    • Protein: 46g
    • Vitamin C: 8mg
    • Calcium: 63mg
    • Iron: 2mg
    • Potassium: 427mg

    Categories

    Entree recipes
    Entrée recipes
    Main recipes
    Comfort food recipes
    Halloween recipes
    Meatloaf recipes