Man Loaf (Variation of the Meatloaf)

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×15-inch baking dish.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until beginning to brown, but still limp. Remove 1/4 of the bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Cut each strip in half, and set aside. Continue cooking the remaining bacon until evenly browned, about 10 minutes total. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble once cool.

Beat the eggs with 1/4 of the crumbled bacon in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the onions, salt, and black pepper. Mix in the ground beef and bread crumbs until evenly mixed. Cover a work surface with two 20-inch sheets of waxed paper. Pat the beef mixture into a 14×18-inch rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese and the remaining crumbled bacon. Roll the beef into a cylinder from one of the short ends to form a 14-inch-long loaf. Pinch the ends to seal in the cheese. Place into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then brush with the barbeque sauce, and return to the oven for 20 minutes longer. Remove the manloaf from the oven, and drape with the precooked bacon strips. Sprinkle with the shredded Swiss cheese, and bake to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.