Recipe: Air Fryer Meatloaf

Air fryers are small appliances that consume much less energy than full-sized ovens. Many air fryers use around 1,500 watts. By contrast, a full-size oven uses between 2,500 and 5,000 watts. This makes air fryers doubly efficient in terms of energy consumption. It also makes air fryers less expensive to use. A typical gas oven costs $0.30 to $0.40 per hour of cooking, while an electric oven costs about $0.52 an hour. An air fryer, meanwhile, uses about half as much energy and costs $0.25 an hour.

Besides potentially saving you money on electricity, air fryers can cook up to twice as quickly as your average oven. Plus, the average oven takes 10 to 15 minutes to preheat, while air fryers generally don’t need to be preheated at all or for nearly as long. Remember, all air fryer models are different, so experiment a bit until you find what’s best for yours.

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup, plus 2 teaspoons ketchup, divided
9 strips bacon, halved
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Preparation:
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine beef, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, and 2 Tablespoons ketchup. Using your hands, mix until evenly incorporated. On a piece of parchment paper, form the beef mixture into two equal loaves that will fit in your air fryer. Layer bacon slices on top of loaves.

In a small bowl, whisk brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup of ketchup and brush onto bacon. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet or something similar that fits your air fryer, as juices may overflow during baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°F.

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