Chef John's Halloween Zombie Meatloaf

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Next, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté diced onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon salt until the mixture becomes dry and starts to develop a golden brown color, taking around 5-7 minutes. Introduce garlic, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper into the mixture, stirring well. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down to room temperature for about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cooled vegetable mixture to this bowl and mix everything together using your hands until it's thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use.

Take two round slices, approximately 1/2-inch thick, from the second onion for the zombie eyes. Insert one clove into the center of each slice. Cut a 1-inch-wide section from the remaining onion and dice it into small chunks to form zombie teeth.

Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and use your hands, slightly dampened, to shape it into a zombie skull shape that is 3-4 inches tall. Create indents on the surface to represent the eyes, nose, and mouth. Cover most of the meatloaf with bacon strips, then add onion eyes and teeth. Tuck any loose ends of bacon under the sides using a spatula, making sure everything is secure. Cover the onion eyes with aluminum foil to prevent browning.

Bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit (68 degrees Celsius), taking around 1 hour.

Combine barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup of ketchup, and hot sauce in a bowl to create the blood sauce.