Meat Loaf Tropicale

Mashed banana in a meatloaf sounds like a kitchen experiment gone rogue, but it works the same way applesauce does in other recipes: adding moisture and a subtle sweetness that keeps the lean ground beef from drying out during the hour-long bake. You won’t taste banana in the finished loaf. What you’ll notice is a more tender, juicier meatloaf than a plain breadcrumb version.

Quick oats replace traditional breadcrumbs as the binder, soaking up the banana’s moisture and the egg to hold everything together. Nutmeg and allspice in the mix nod to Caribbean flavors, giving the meat a warm, slightly exotic spice profile that makes this “tropicale” more than just a cute name.

Crisscrossed bacon on top bastes the loaf as it cooks, and a slick of orange marmalade spread over the bacon and meat creates a glossy, sweet-citrus glaze that caramelizes during baking. The marmalade and bacon together is the combination that makes this meatloaf memorable.

Kitchen Tips

• Use very ripe bananas. They mash smoother and are sweeter than firm ones
• Don’t pack the meat mixture too tightly into the pan. A lighter hand means a more tender loaf
• Drain the excess fat after baking and before slicing. The bacon and beef both render fat
• Let the loaf rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting for cleaner slices

Variations

• Use pineapple preserves instead of orange marmalade for a more tropical glaze
• Add a handful of macadamia nuts to the meat mixture for a Hawaiian twist
• Swap ground turkey for beef for a leaner version