Grilled, Yes, Grilled, Meat Loaf (For Kids!)

I like to think that most of my recipes are born out of a great story, but sometimes, their creation just boils down to sheer necessity. 

My youngest daughter is a lot like me in that she's stubborn and loves a good hamburger.  However, that did not bode well for me when I tried to get her to eat meat loaf (a favorite of mine, second only to this Meatloaf).

But with much perseverance, comparing meat loaf to a hamburger, and a fair amount of bacon, I was able to convert my daughter.  Since then, it's turned into a love affair, and my two daughters had tasked me with figuring out how to make meat loaf on the grill. It's a fun and easy project, and it has helped me get the kids more involved with grilling, which is something I love.

Here's the recipe for kids (below I've included a recipe that's a bit spicier for adults):

Stew the Butcher makes us a meat loaf mix which consists of 4 pounds of ground beef, pork and veal.
This will make enough for four separate loaves, so if you don't want to make enough to put 3 in the freezer as our family does, simply divide the portions as needed.

Put the meat loaf mix in a big bowl and add:

3/4 Cup Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Ketchup (optional)
1/4 Cup Italian Seasoning
4 Eggs, beaten
1 Bunch Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Combine the ingredients and separate into 4 loaves and top with bacon.

And for adults who like spice:
Add Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Red Chili Flakes to taste.

Wrap your loaf up in foil and put it on a heated grill (I wrapped it twice so the bottom would not burn).  Since the meat loaf has pork in it, we need it to come to 165 degrees in the center.  This took abut 45 minutes (medium heat).  Make sure you check the temperature using a meat thermometer.

Check out the video: