Equipment
Ingredients
Meatloaf Glaze
- 60 g ketchup
- 15 g brown sugar, packed
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 ml apple cider vinegar
Burger Mix
- 45 ml whole milk
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 500 g ground beef, 80/20 lean to fat ratio
- 75 g bacon, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely grated
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 30 g ketchup
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 494 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1245 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 136 mg
- Potassium
- 510 mg
- Calcium
- 86 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
- Phosphorus
- 270 mg
- Zinc
- 5.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 47 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.00 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.41 mg
- Niacin
- 7.5 mg
- Folate
- 38 mcg
- Water
- 128 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar to create the glaze. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk and panko breadcrumbs. Let sit for 5 minutes to hydrate and form a panade.
Add the ground beef, finely diced bacon, grated onion, egg, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper to the panade. Mix gently by hand until just combined. Wash hands thoroughly to prevent cross-contamination from raw meat.
Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape into patties. Make a shallow indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent them from puffing up during cooking.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and sear until a rich brown crust forms on the bottom, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Flip the patties and immediately spoon the prepared glaze generously over the top of each burger. Continue cooking until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 74°C/165°F to ensure the raw bacon and beef are fully cooked.
Transfer the glazed meatloaf patties to a plate. Let them rest before serving on toasted buns or alongside a simple salad.
Chef's Notes
- Using a panade composed of milk and breadcrumbs traps moisture, preventing the lean beef from drying out and perfectly mimicking the tender texture of a traditional baked meatloaf.
- Grating the onion rather than chopping it ensures it melts directly into the patty, providing maximum moisture and savory flavor without leaving pockets of raw, crunchy onion.
- The bacon is finely diced and mixed directly into the patty to provide internal basting fat and a smoky backbone, eliminating the need to drape bacon over the top.
- Allowing the patties to rest after cooking allows the meat proteins to relax and redistribute their juices, ensuring a perfectly moist bite.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store cooked patties in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked patties separated by parchment paper.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, covered, until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Patties fall apart when flipping in the skillet
Cause: Meat mixture was overworked, or the panade did not hydrate properly
Fix: Press gently back together in the pan with a spatula and top with a slice of cheese to help bind the loose pieces
Prevention: Ensure milk and breadcrumbs form a paste before adding meat, and mix only until just combined
Burgers shrink dramatically and bulge in the center
Cause: The collagen network contracted rapidly upon hitting the high heat without room to expand
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked, but affects presentation rather than flavor
Prevention: Always press a wide thumbprint into the center of raw patties before cooking
Cultural Context
Meatloaf emerged as an American comfort food staple during the Great Depression, utilizing breadcrumbs and aromatics to stretch expensive meat into a filling family meal. Transforming these classic, comforting flavors into a quick-cooking burger format provides the nostalgic, sweet-and-savory profile of an iconic Sunday dinner in a fraction of the time, making it highly suitable for modern weeknight cooking.
