Mini Meatloaves with Liver and Bacon

MINI MEATLOAVES WITH LIVER AND BACON

FOOD AS MEDICINE

Liver, which is often regarded as an old-school superfood, is making a resurgence in traditional foods communities, and rightly so! Grandma got something right—liver is incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, quality protein and fat. It is particularly rich in nutrients that support optimal brain function, including the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. Liver is also a concentrated source of B vitamins, B-12 in particular, which is essential for neurological function and is helpful in preventing and treating fatigue. It contains highly bioavailable forms of Vitamin A, Folate and Iron, as well as high levels of copper, zinc, and selenium.

INGREDIENTS

For the meatloaf: 

2 pounds pasture raised grassfed beef and organ blend (from your local farmers market or like this one from US Wellness Meats)

Note: If you can’t get your hands on a blend, you can grind 1/2 lb pasture-raised liver in a meat grinder or pulse in a food processor, then combine with 1.5 pounds grassfed beef 

4 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 onions,  about 2 cups, caramelized (see recipe here)

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled (about 1/4 cup set aside for topping)

1 egg

1/4 cup almond flour

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

For topping: 

1 7oz jar tomato paste

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  In a medium bowl, combine the grassfed beef/organ blend, garlic, caramelized onions, cooked bacon, egg, almond flour, mustard, sea salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine thoroughly so that the liver, onions and bacon are evenly distributed. Grease two muffin tins with grassfed butter or ghee. Scoop the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tins (should make about 16 or 1 1/2 trays). Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Pull out of the oven at 30 minutes to add the sauce.

To make the sauce: place the tomato paste, balsamic and mustard in a small bowl and mix. Add a few tablespoons water if needed to thin. Spread over the partially baked meatloaves, then return to the oven for 10-15 minutes more until an internal temperature of 160 is reached. Remove from the oven and top with the reserved crumbled bacon and chopped parsley.

Makes 8 servings of 2 muffins each

Nutrition per serving: 304 Calories, 16g Fat, 10g Carbs, 27g Protein

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