Meatloaf “Skull”

This “Meatloaf Skull” is perfect to serve for Halloween Dinner. Served with “blood” a.k.a “sweet ketchup sauce” (recipe follows) it becomes a real fright! Not only is this meatloaf “scary,” it’s scary delicious!! Host a Halloween Dinner this year and serve Meatloaf Skull along with Garlic Vampire Dip with Garlic Naan and Garlic Naan as an appetizer, Mashed Potato Ghosts, Creamy Corn Casserole and for dessert Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats.

meatloaf skull
meatloaf skull

Meatloaf Love

Adults and kids alike will go crazy for this dinner. Have some family and friends over, go trick or treating and when you get home you can serve this fun and festive Halloween Dinner. This is my go-to meatloaf recipe that I have made many times before. The only difference is this time I shaped the loaf into a head/skull shape. This recipe makes a large meatloaf skull but you can certainly cut the recipe in half.

Decorate the Skull

I used onion slices for the eyes and teeth, a green pepper slice for the nose and covered the head/skull with bacon bandages. We baked the skull meatloaf in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, so I could periodically drain the grease or fat from the baking dish. This recipe makes a large meatloaf, so allow ample time for it to bake. After all you don’t want to serve a meatloaf that is property cooked all the way through. Now that would be scary!
meatloaf skull

Meatloaf "Skull"

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Meatloaf is covered in bacon and basted with a sweet ketchup sauce during last hour of baking.
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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced green pepper
  • 1 cup shredded fresh zucchini
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 sleeve crackers, crushed (buttery or saltine)
  • 4 slices bread, cubed
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnish:
  • onion slices, for eyes
  • 1 pound thick sliced bacon, for bandages
  • green pepper slices, nose and teeth
  • Sweet Ketchup Sauce:
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350º In a large bowl mix together all ingredients.
  • Place mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and shape into a skull.
  • Place onion slices on meatloaf for eyes and green pepper slices on meatloaf skull for teeth.
  • Randomly place bacon slices on meatloaf skull to look like bandages.
  • Bake meatloaf in oven, covered with foil for 2 hours (drain excess grease if necessary)
  • Remove foil, continue baking for another hour (drain excess grease if necessary)
  • Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and garlic powder. Simmer on low until warm. Baste meatloaf with sauce every 15 during last hour of baking.
  • Serve with remaining sauce.
Course: Halloween, Main Dish
Cuisine: All-American
Author: Lynn / Turnips 2 Tangerines
Keyword: bacon, ground beef, meatloaf