Creepy, gory, full of guts, and yet delicious! How's that for a Halloween dinner idea? Rat Loaf Meatloaf is sure to turn your stomach, and yet leave you hungry for more!
So the other day I faced my fears (Halloween humor) and went on Facebook to make my Rat Loaf Meatloaf LIVE, from my Kudos Kitchen.
The experience was frightening, and yet fun.
And the result was this creepy and gory Rat Loat Meatloaf that will turn your stomach, and make you hungry all at the same time. LOL.
I promise!
I originally shared this recipe in 2017. I've recently updated this post with additional information, including a recipe card (complete with nutritional information), and a video of how this Halloween meatloaf shaped like a rat is made, but the recipe itself has remained unchanged.
Table of Contents Found Here
The recipe for rat loaf meatloaf:
You can use your favorite meatloaf recipe or here is my favorite meatloaf recipe for making this unusual Halloween dinner, minus the spaghetti stuffing, of course.
You'll also need BBQ sauce, string cheese, French fried onions, small new potato slices, black olives, uncooked spaghetti, canned bread sticks, salt and pepper.
The devil is in the details:
As with everything, it's the final touches that take a project (food or otherwise) over the top and special.
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With black olive eyes and a nose, almond teeth, potato ears, and spaghetti whiskers this Rat Loaf Meatloaf is ready to go into the oven.
On Halloween, it's all about the ooze!
Even though the insides of my Rat Loaf Meatloaf Live Facebook video didn't ooze like I had hoped he was going to, YOURS WILL!
After all, what good is a grotesque Halloween dinner if you're not able to creep out your family and friends?!!
My live video for the making of this rat loaf meatloaf
Thanks for watching!!
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
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*Please note that the exact measurements along with a new "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart is available in the printable recipe card.
Printable Recipe Card
Rat Loaf Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 pounds meatloaf mix your favorite recipe
- 1 cup BBQ sauce your favorite variety
- 8 pieces string cheese any variety
- 2 cups French fried onions divided
- 2 uncooked breadsticks the tube variety
- 3 each black olives for the eyes and nose
- 2 thin slices baby red potatoes for the ears
- 6 each uncooked spaghetti noodles for the whiskers
- 2 each raw whole almonds preferably without the skin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Working on an a sheet of parchment paper, pat out half of the meatloaf mixture to form a tapered oval shape, making sure one end is kind of pointy in shape.
- Spread half of the BBQ sauce evenly over the meatloaf, making sure to leave about a 1 ½ inch border around the entire rat.
- Place the string cheese pieces over the BBQ sauce and top with half of the French fried onions.
- Working on another piece of parchment paper make another tapered oval shape, similar in size to the first one, with the remainder of the meatloaf mixture.
- Working carefully, flip the second meatloaf out onto the guts of the bottom layer of meatloaf doing your best to align the two. Press the two halves of the meatloaf together so he is properly sealed.
- Carefully lift the rat onto an aluminum foil baking sheet that has been fitted with a rack. It is perfectly acceptable to take the parchment paper along at this point. *Note - you may need an extra pair of hands to help you accomplish this.
- Place 1-2 of the bread sticks coming out from the back end of the rat and work them into place so they look like a tail. Cover the tail with aluminum foil.
- Make three indentations with your knuckle where his eyes and nose will be, and then press the olives into the indentations, and poke the potato slices for ears into place on top of the rats head, and press the two almond teeth into place under the nose.
- Bake the rat loaf in the preheated oven for approximately 60-90 minutes (depending on how big of a rat you've made) until he's cooked through. The internal temperature for a properly cooked meatloaf is 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer.
- About 45 minutes before your rat is cooked thoroughly, remove the aluminum foil from the tail to allow the bread stick tail to brown. Top the rat with the remaining half of the BBQ sauce and the remaining French fried onions. Continue to bake until he's completely cooked through. The internal temperature for a properly cooked meatloaf is 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove him from the oven and add his spaghetti whiskers. *Note - I added the spaghetti whiskers in early just for photography purposes. If you bake them along with the rat, they'll burn.
- Allow him to sit for about 10-15 minutes (covered loosely with foil) before slicing, serving and grossing out your family and friends!!!
Notes
Nutrition
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Amanda says
I am excited to try it but am going to half the size. Should I half the time as well?
Renée says
Yes, the cooking time will definitely be less.
Make sure that the internal temperature of the meatloaf (insert the probe into the middle of the bottom layer of meat)
reaches a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the meatloaf to cool for 7-10 minutes before slicing. Waiting much longer
to slice will dampen the effect of the gory melty, cheesy, guts oozing out. Sorry. Not sorry. lol
I hope this is helpful.
Have fun and happy Halloween!!
Renee
Alyce says
my son always has fun with meatloat. He makes a meatloaf man, and he's even made a Santa meatloaf. He is coming over next Sunday for dinner, and I'm going to surprise him with a ratloaf. At least I'm going to try.
Renée says
Way to go, Alyce!
I hope he's surprised and delighted.
I'm sure you'll do a brilliant job!
Have fun!!
Renee
Renée says
Yes, this is a weird recipe but it's also fun and delicious!!
Rita St Onge says
I loved your video. I have a big Halloween party every year at my house. I always try to shock my guests with food. This is going to be a big hit. I wish you lived in Houston I would invite you. You look like you'd be a lot of fun! And, I love the fact that your an dog lover. I am too! And, I loved the earrings you made. Have fun on your trip and come up with new ideas for next year!!