Chef John’s Zombie Meatloaf
This meal looks like a zombie. It uses bacon and a red sauce to look scary.
It is a fun food for a Halloween party. It tastes like a classic meatloaf.
By Nadia Kovalenko
Posted October 5, 2026Share
Time
Calories
Servings
Difficulty
Description
This meal looks like a zombie. It uses bacon and a red sauce to look scary.
It is a fun food for a Halloween party. It tastes like a classic meatloaf.
Quick Tip Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.
Ingredients 21
0.5 cup unsalted butter
1.5 cups diced yellow onion
0.5 cup diced celery
1 (8 ounce) package brown mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds lean ground beef
0.75 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion
2 whole cloves
1 pound bacon strips
0.25 cup barbeque sauce
0.25 cup ketchup
1 dash hot sauce, or to taste
Instructions
-
1
Heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet.
-
2
Melt butter in a pan. Cook onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon salt for 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in garlic, pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
-
3
Mix the beef, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Add the cool vegetables. Mix by hand. Put the bowl in the fridge.
-
4
Cut two onion circles for eyes. Put one clove in each circle. Cut more onion into small bits for teeth.
-
5
Put the meat on the baking sheet. Shape it into a skull 3 to 4 inches tall. Make holes for eyes and a mouth. Put bacon over the meat. Add the onion eyes and teeth. Cover the eyes with foil.
-
6
Bake for about 1 hour. The middle should reach 155 degrees F.
-
7
Mix barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, and hot sauce in a bowl to make the blood sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
Amount Per Serving
-
Calories 641 kcal
% Daily Value *
-
Total Fat 41g
-
Saturated Fat 18g
-
Cholesterol 196mg
-
Sodium 1600mg
-
Total Carbohydrate 22g
-
Dietary Fiber 2g
-
Protein 46g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Popular Recipes
You Might Also Like
Cottage Cheese Salad
This salad is cold and light. It mixes cottage cheese with crisp vegetables. You can...
Instant Pot Vegetable Broth
This Instant Pot vegetable broth from scratch is made with carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and...
Six-Egg Pound Cake
This cake is made with basic ingredients and is quite tall.
Kalbi Marinade
This sauce uses ginger, garlic, and sesame. It gives food a savory taste.
Ready to cook?
Sign up for our tasty newsletter and be the first one who tries out our latest
recipes.
