Posted: 8/29/2009 7:33:00 PM EDT
Bad meatloaf sucks but good meatloaf is, well, pretty darned good.
Please post your meatloaf tips, tricks and recipes. Ours today was made with half ground pork, half ground beef. Added some sauteed, diced pancetta. Also sauteed onions, minced garlic and bell peppers. Threw in some roasted peppers as well. Ground black pepper, oregano, bread crumbs, couple of beaten egg yolks and some worcestershire sauce. Topped it with some of those french-fried onion things. Not my best effort, but edible. 
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Meat Loaf Recipe
Courtesy of Alton Brown 6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 onion, roughly chopped 1 carrot, peeled and broken 3 whole cloves garlic 1/2 red bell pepper 18 ounces ground chuck 18 ounces ground sirloin 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 egg For the glaze: 1/2 cup catsup 1 teaspoon ground cumin Dash Worcestershire sauce Dash hot pepper sauce 1 tablespoon honey Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the breadcrumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat. Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45-degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees. Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes. |
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Damn good thing I just finished eating and am stuffed Ferel... Just love good meatloaf....
I never use any specific recipe... Meatloaf is like an erector set... Can be built 1000 ways and still be awesome...I usually always have a cheese core tho.... Update: After seeing those pix last night I HAD to make meatloaf tonight! 
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Only thing I do is get it off the bottom of the pan with a rack so it doesn't boil/braise, I really like my meatloaf to have a slight brown carmalized crust. I also add some type of fat to keep it moist, bacon grease is very good, and I slightly caramelized the onions/peppers before it goes in, gives it a deeper flavor.
I start with the basics, meat/eggs/crumbs then throw in whatever I have, cheese and bacon soemtimes get used. The pancetta and ff onions good idea-mmmmm |
| I shape mine into a round loaf by hand and bake it on a broiler pan, rather than in a baking dish or loaf pan. It makes the end product a bit firmer, which I prefer. I'm still trying to get my recipe perfected. My wife made an absolutely magical meatloaf last year, the best I've ever had, but she always bakes meatloaf freestyle and couldn't remember the ingredient proportions. |
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I totally agree that not having 100% beef is key.
This is the spousal unit's favorite meatloaf that I make, I use venison and wild hog, obviously beef and pork would do just fine. Cranberry Venison Loaf 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup cranberry sauce ( I use the whole berry kind) 1 1/2 lb ground venison 1/2 lb ground ham 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup saltine cracker crumbs 2 eggs, beaten salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp white onion, chopped 2 bay leaves Grease a loaf pan. Spread the brown sugar over the bottom. Spread the cranberry sauce on top of the brown sugar. Mix remaining ingredients (except bay leaves), shape into loaf and put in pan on top of the cranberry sauce. Top with bay leaves. Bake at 350 for an hour. My personal favorite is a recipe from Paul Prudhomme. If you like spicy, it's the real deal. Cajun Meatloaf 2 Whole bay leaves 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne) 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter 3/4 cup finely chopped onions 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup catsup 1-1/2 pounds ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup very fine dry bread crumbs Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef (see below) Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, tabasco, Worcestershire and seasoning mix. Saute until mixture starts sticking excessively, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well. Stir in the milk and catsup. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Place the ground beef and pork in an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Add the eggs, the cooked vegetable mixture and the bread crumbs, remove the bay leaves. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. In the center of the pan, shape the mixture into a loaf that is about 1-1/2 inches high, 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 minutes, then raise heat to 400°F and continue cooking until done, about 35 minutes longer. Serve immediately as is or with Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef. This is best using both ground pork and ground beef, as the pork gives more flavor diversity. However, you can make it with ground beef only. Serves 6 Very Hot  Cajun Sauce For Beef
This sauce is excellent with Cajun Meat Loaf (page 112), roast beef, sandwiches hamburgers, post roast and Cajun Shepard's Pie (page 119). 3/4 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers 1/4 chop chopped celery 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne) 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup minced jalepeno peppers (see NOTE) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 3 cups Basic Beef Stock NOTE: Fresh Jalapenos are preferred; if you have to use pickled ones, rinse as much vinegar from them as possible. Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a small bowl and set aside while you start the roux. (NOTE: Unlike the roux in most other recipes in this book, the roux we use here is light brown. Therefore, instead of heating the oil to the smoking stage, we heat it to only 250°F; this prevents the roux from getting too brown. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium-low heat to about 250°F. With a metal whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until roux is light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the roux scorch or splash on your skin. Remove from heat and with a spoon immediately stir in the vegetable mixture and the red, white and black peppers'; return pan to high heat and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leave, jalepeno peppers and garlic, stirring well. Continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring c constantly. (We're cooking the seasonings and vegetables in the light roux and the mixture should, therefore, be pasty). Remove from heat. In a separate 2-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from the top and serve immediately. Source: Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen Cookbook JC |