American · main

Maple-Glazed Meatloaf Minis with Bacon

Maple-Glazed Meatloaf Minis with Bacon reads umami 9.2, richness 8.0 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 48 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 8.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 9.2 · Richness 8.0 · Salinity 5.4 · Sweetness 5.3 · Smoke 4.0 · Allium 3.9 · Sourness 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Earthy 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Nutty 1.0 · Fruity 1.0 · Floral 0.9 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (15)

• unsalted butter — 14 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 6 g
• italian style breadcrumbs — 158 g
• regular milk — 118 g
• beef — 680 g
• egg — 100 g
• worcestershire sauce — 30 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• bacon — 168 g
• ketchup — 118 g
• maple syrup — 44 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• apple cider vinegar — 5 g

Time & effort: about 48 min (40 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 160.5 kcal, 15.6 g protein, 5.2 g fat, 14.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Set a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (or grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin).
2. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Scrape onto a plate and let cool for a few minutes.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk; let stand until thick and pasty, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and the cooled onion mixture to the breadcrumb panade. Mix with your hands just until evenly combined and no streaks of egg remain; stop as soon as it's uniform so the loaves stay tender.
5. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (about 3/4 cup each) and shape into compact ovals, roughly 3 by 2 inches. Arrange on the prepared rack, spaced apart, and drape 2 bacon half-strips over the top of each, tucking the ends underneath.
6. Whisk together the ketchup, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and vinegar in a small bowl to make the glaze.
7. Bake the meatloaves until the bacon has begun to render and the loaves are firm at the edges, about 15 minutes.
8. Brush the loaves generously with half the glaze. Return to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160°F, 12-15 minutes more.
9. Brush with the remaining glaze and broil on high, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbling and lightly caramelized at the edges, 1-2 minutes.
10. Let rest 5 minutes before serving - 160°F is already safe for ground beef; resting just lets the juices settle before slicing.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Ketchup Glaze — American
• Brunswick Stew with Pulled Pork — Southern
• Guinness Beef Stew with Pearl Onions — Irish
• Char-Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin — American
• Red Wine Braised Beef Stew — French

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.