1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
For Glaze (optional):
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a bowl, combine the beef, onion, garlic and parsley. Beat the eggs and add them to the mixture, mixing well to combine, either with a wooden spoon or with your hands. Add the breadcrumbs and mix to combine. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce, mixing well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the bacon strips in a frying pan and set over a medium heat. Cook until the bacon is quite crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside; reserve the fat.
Use some of the fat to grease a loaf pan. Add about two-thirds of the meat mixture to the pan, forming a hollow in the center. Ensure that there is at least 1 inch of meat on all sides.
Chop the bacon into small bits and combine with the shredded cheddar cheese. Fill the hollow in the meat with these two ingredients, and then add the last of the meat over the top. Press down well to ensure that the meatloaf is sealed.
Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 40 minutes (if making glaze) or for 1 hour (if no glaze).
If making glaze, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard in a bowl.
After the meatloaf bakes for 40 minutes, remove it from the oven and top with the ketchup mixture. Return to the oven and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the loaf pan and cool for an additional 10 minutes before slicing and serving.