Mom's Meat Loaf

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
5. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
6. 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons ketchup
7. 1 egg, lightly beaten
8. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
9. 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
10. 1 tablespoon kosher salt
11. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12. 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13. 2 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
14. 1 pound ground beef chuck
15. 1/2 pound ground veal
16. 1/2 pound ground pork
17. 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
18. Pinch of cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Let stand until cooled to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the milk until evenly moistened. Add the 2 teaspoons of ketchup and the onion mixture, egg, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, black pepper and mustard and mix until blended.
3. In a food processor, pulse the bacon until finely chopped; add it to the bread crumb mixture. Add the ground beef, veal and pork and mix gently with your hands until evenly combined.
4. In a medium roasting pan, form the meat into a 9-by-5-inch loaf. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup of ketchup with the brown sugar and cayenne. Spread the ketchup over the top of the meat loaf. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the glaze is browned and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat loaf registers 160°. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.