This meatloaf requires 3 pounds of meat: 1 pound lean (turkey, chicken); 1 pound fat-full (pork or lamb); and 1 pound wildcard (goat or veal). I like hard-cooked duck eggs in the middle for effect, but you can skip that step if you like as it can be fiddly. Either way, hot out of the oven or cold in a sandwich, this meatloaf is a cook-once-eat-many-times kind of dish. I use the fat rendered from the baking as the base for a gravy to serve over the meatloaf and a side of mashed potatoes.

Serves 8-10

4 duck eggs
4 onions, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons duck fat or butter
3 cups chopped onions
Kosher salt
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 pound ground pork or lamb
1 pound ground goat or veal
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 pound sliced bacon

Hard-boil 3 duck eggs by placing them in a pot of cold water to cover, bringing the water to a boil, and boiling them for 9 minutes.

Drain, then cool in cold water, peel and set aside.

Heat the duck fat or butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until the onions are golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. Add the ground meat to the bowl with the cooled onions. Whisk together the remaining (raw) duck egg with the mustard, Worcestershire and 2 teaspoons salt. Add this mixture to the bowl with the meat and onions and combine all before gently mixing in the breadcrumbs and parsley.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the meatloaf mixture in 2. In large roasting pan, form the bottom half of the meatloaf by patting half the mixture into a flat oval about 9 inches long. Place the hard-boiled eggs in a row down the middle of the meatloaf. Shape the remaining mound over the top of the eggs and pat into a solid loaf.

Cover the meatloaf with slices of bacon, tucking the bacon ends underneath the meatloaf as best you can so that the slices don’t curl up as they cook.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the juices run clear – the internal temperature should be 160 degrees F. Let the meatloaf rest 15 minutes before slicing, which should be done generously so every slice has a bit of egg in it.

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