Rat Loaf Meatloaf
This creepy Rat Loaf Meatloaf is stuffed with gooey cheese and crispy onions, coated with barbecue sauce, and decorated as a gruesome—but delicious—Halloween dinner.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 613kcal
Equipment
- extra-large spatula - cake lifter optional - for transferring the meatloaf
- food preparation gloves optional
Ingredients
For the meatloaf mixture:
- 4 pounds ground beef
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
For the guts and gore:
- 1 cup BBQ sauce your favorite variety, divided
- 8 pieces string cheese any variety
- 2 cups French-fried onions divided
- 2 uncooked breadsticks the tube variety (Pillsbury)
- 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 (175 C).
- Working on a sheet of parchment paper, pat out half of the meatloaf mixture to form a tapered oval shape, making sure one end is pointy in shape.
- Spread half of the BBQ sauce evenly over the meatloaf, making sure to leave about a 1½ inch border around the entire bottom meat layer.
- 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 (using the parchment paper for assistance) out onto the guts and the bottom layer of meatloaf doing your best to align the two. Take your time pressing the two meatloaf halves together so it is properly sealed and the fillings won't ooze out while baking.
- Carefully lift the rat onto an aluminum foil covered baking sheet fitted with a rack. *Note - It is perfectly acceptable to take the parchment paper along for the transfer. You may need an extra pair of hands to help you accomplish this.
- Place 1-2 of the breadsticks 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.Poke the potato slices for ears into place on top of the rat's head.Press the two almond teeth in 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. *Note - The internal temperature for a properly cooked meatloaf is 150-160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer.
- Approximately 45 minutes before the rat is fully cooked, remove the aluminum foil from the tail to allow the breadstick tail to brown. Top the rat with the remaining BBQ sauce and French-fried onions. Continue to bake until completely cooked.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and add the spaghetti whiskers. *Note - Don't add the spaghetti during cooking or the pasta will burn.
- Allow the rat loaf meatloaf sit for 10 minutes (covered loosely with foil) before placing it on a platter for slicing, serving, and grossing out your family and friends!!!
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
May be frozen. Store in an airtight freezer container. Label and date. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat (loosely covered) in a 350 degree oven or air fryer until hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 1117mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg
