Meatloaf Mania

For someone who doesn't eat much meat, it is funny to me, that I seem to write most often about cooking meat! I grew up on a farm where we raised our own meat -- pork, beef, & chicken.  However, I did not really learn the art of cooking meat to bring out it's juiciest and most tasty flavors!  So, when I finally hit on a meat cooking winner, I get very, very excited!  My kids love my cooking, but they will not tell you their fondest memories of my cooking is how I made fabulous pot roast or MEATLOAF!  In fact, up until recently, if I said we were having meatloaf for dinner, my kids would groan and try to find somewhere or something else to eat.  It was not a family favorite!  For many years meatloaf was not considered a "comfort food" in my household  That has now all changed.  If I say we're having meatloaf for dinner, my kids ask what time should they come over to eat dinner with David and I!!!!!

All-American Meatloaf & Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

I tried all kinds of ways to make my meatloaf more appealing.  I added a variety of herbs & spices to add flavor...I added eggs to help it keep it's shape...I added fillers like rolled oats or TVP (texturized vegetable protein -- made of soy and looks like ground meat when you add liquid to it) to make a small amount of hamburger go further, when we were either low on funds or I was trying to only use the meat as flavoring during our semi-vegetarian days...I smeared ketchup over the top for a glazed effect...I baked it in a clay loaf pan to try to make the sides crusty...etc, etc, etc.  But the thing, I never realized is that in order to improve meatloaf you need to use a mix of meats for a round meaty flavor, select the right binders to give the right texture without masking the flavor of the meat, and to bake it free-form, for a glazed, crusty exterior and to not go overboard in adding herbs & spices! I learned this in my trusty "The America's Test Kitchen, Family Cookbook"! I love this cookbook, because every recipe in it has been tested a zillion times to find the best quality ingredients to use and to advise what ingredients can be substituted and what is best to use as a substitute. All of the recipes are American classics for cooking "from scratch"!

Here's the recipe for All-American Meatloaf:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use either canola or olive oil)
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup ketchup (I either use my homemade canned ketchup or organic ketchup that I buy at the grocery store -- like the Winn Dixie storebrand)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk, plus extra as needed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco or any kind of your favorite pepper sauce
2 pounds meatloaf mix (see NOTE *)
1 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs (I use homemade breadcrumbs, see NOTE **) or the cookbook also suggests crushed saltine crackers -- I have never used this.
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
(I always use all or as much as possible, all-organic ingredients -- these days, that's pretty much 100%)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in an 8" skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. (you can also add some finely chopped celery and/or bell pepper (any color) for additional flavor and nutrition -- no more than 1/2 cup or so plus use a smaller onion and then saute' w/the onion) Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar and set aside. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and Tabasco together.
5. Mix the meatloaf mix, breadcrumbs, parsley, saut'eed onion mixture and egg mixture until evenly blended and the mixture doesn't stick to the bowl (if the mixture sticks, add additional milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it no longer sticks).
6. Turn the meat mixture onto a foil-lined baking sheet and shape it into a 9" by 5" loaf. Brush with half of the ketchup mixture. Bake the loaf for 45 minutes.
7. Brush the loaf with the remaining ketchup mixture and continue to bake until the center of the loaf measures 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer -- could be 15 minutes, but I find it often takes longer.  At this point, I have sometimes turned up the oven temp to 375 degrees.  When meatloaf is done, let it sit and cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.  It is YUM-MY! Baking the loaf free-form gives a result of a loaf with a glazed crusty exterior that is much different from the soggy masses that emerge from standard loaf pans!
NOTE:
* Meatloaf mix is a combination of equal parts ground beef, pork, and veal and is available at most grocery stores. If you cannot find meatloaf mix, substitute 1 pound of 90% lean ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork. Or use  2 pounds each of ground beef, veal & pork and mix together and divide into 3 parts (2 pounds each) and freeze for your own meatloaf mix to pull out when you need it.  I always use organic, grass-fed meat whenever possible and if it is locally grown, so much the better!
** I always make my own breadcrumbs. When I have homemade whole grain bread that won't get used up, in order to keep it from being wasted or getting moldy, I pulverize it in my food processor and then pour it into a zip-loc bag that I keep in the freezer. This way, I always have high quality, great flavor nutritious bread crumbs that I can scoop out when needed.