Meatloafing

[downsizingnow48]

Honestly I think there should be a whole forum on meatloaf.

It was a standard on the table when I was growing up, a Plain Jane version my mom made that I loved. When I met my future wife meatloaf was one of the first things she made, quite a bit more involved than what I was used to at home. I learned to make it when my wife was off on her work.

Meat

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork

Veggies

1/3 - 1/2 cup each, chopped:
mushrooms
green onions (use a lot of the green part as well as white)
celery
green bell pepper
white onion

Herbs

1 teaspoon each:
rosemary
marjoram
sage

also two garlic cloves minced
and 1/2 teaspoon spanish paprika

two eggs to hold it together

plus salt and pepper

Glaze or Topping

3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry english mustard
salt and pepper

Mix all the meatloaf stuff up in a bowl, put in a pan, cook for 40 min at 375.

Make the glaze in a bowl, put on meatloaf at the 40 min mark, cook for another 15-20 min or so.

With fried red potatoes and sour cream, what could be bettah!

 

[Wagtail]

Sounds good!

(and I just finished my tea [supper], so that's saying something)

 

[Thomas]

All I can say is :licking::thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

That recipe sounds delicious, but also sounds as if a lot of work goes into it. I guess my family has always made a simpler version. And when my wife makes meatloaf, she usually stuffs it into bell peppers. I am quite fond of it and don't care whether the peppers are cooked tender or still crisp. But I have NEVER ordered meatloaf in a restaurant because I'm not sure what I'd be getting, even though I suspect it would be good. I just never got over remembering the meatloaf we were served at school when I was in elementary school. I don't know anything about their recipe, and obviously some liked it, but the only way I could get it down was to drown it in catsup. As a result, I only eat meatloaf at home.

 

[Gunny]

Yep, I remember the meatloaf from my school days. Didn't take long to figure out that if you covered it completely with catsup, it tasted exactly like catsup, which made it somewhat edible.

 

[ray66v]

For me, the best meatloaf is a smoked meatloaf.

You can turn the meatloaf out of the pan, onto a perforated tray when you cook it, so the smoke gets all the way around it.

They don't get too firm, if you over mix it. In fact, I've tried intentionally over mixing it, and nothing bad happens.

The excess fat is able to drip out as it cooks, rather than having the meat soaking in it.

It's a surprisingly different texture, moist, light, and tender. And, great flavor.

I like to use Ketchup and BBQ sauce, 50/50 on the smoked meatloaf.

 

[Motorboatin]

My recipe is almost exactly like yours except I do 2lbs of venison and add an extra egg

 

[bunyip]

For me, the best meatloaf is a smoked meatloaf.

You can turn the meatloaf out of the pan, onto a perforated tray when you cook it, so the smoke gets all the way around it.

They don't get too firm, if you over mix it. In fact, I've tried intentionally over mixing it, and nothing bad happens.

The excess fat is able to drip out as it cooks, rather than having the meat soaking in it.

It's a surprisingly different texture, moist, light, and tender. And, great flavor.

I like to use Ketchup and BBQ sauce, 50/50 on the smoked meatloaf.

So do you cook it then smoke?
Sounds interesting and would like to try it but have never seen a perforated pan, maybe I should say I have never looked for one.
We have perforated trays, would that work for a cooked loaf to get smoke all around it?
I do have a smoker.

 

[Dan Hunter]

Ridge Ranchers Meatloaf Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 bag pork rinds
12 red olives
1 large grated onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons garlic dust
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning


In a food processor, turn the pork rinds to dust and place in mixing bowl. Finely chop the olives and place in the mixing bowl as well. Chop the onions in the food processor and crush the juice out with a wire colander and place the chopped onion in the mixing bowl. Grate the garlic cloves into the mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix.

Cook in a single bread baking pan. Cook at 350 to achieve safe pork standards using a probe. Allow to cool before removing from the pan and chill in refrigerator. Slather two slices (try both fresh and lightly toasted) of Panera's Tomato Basil with mayo and put a 1/2 to 3/4 inch slice of meatloaf in between.

Edit: BTW, the dusted pork rinds are spectacular as a binding agent, add all the salt you need, and absorbs much of the pork fat which is a fabulous flavor adjunct.

 

[downsizingnow48]

OMG will have to try that.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Just leave out the mushrooms..

 

[bunyip]

but the only way I could get it down was to drown it in catsup.

We applied that rule to a lot of our boarding school food, I acquired a taste for that fine british condiment, HP Sauce, could kill anything the cooks conjured up.

 

[goeduck]

WHO DOES NOT LOVE MEATLOAF? I LOVE MEATLOAF !!!!!! Subscribing to get some good recipes! :thumbsup:

 

[ray66v]

So do you cook it then smoke?
Sounds interesting and would like to try it but have never seen a perforated pan, maybe I should say I have never looked for one.
We have perforated trays, would that work for a cooked loaf to get smoke all around it?
I do have a smoker.

No, I do it all on the smoker.

I buy 6 lbs of 80-20 ground beef, and mix in all the seasonings, then divide it in half. I pack the half in a 7x11 casserole dish and turn it upside down over the perforated grilling tray. With a little effort and practice, (it doesn't just fall out), it will come out of the dish, on to the tray in one piece.

I put both half's on the smoker at 225 Degrees, (with hickory pellets), until it hits internal temp of 160. That takes abut 2-2.5 hours. No spritzing, moping, or basting needed.

Apply the sauce in the last 15 minutes or so, (probably at about 145-150 degrees internal temp).

We cut and freeze one half. It freezes, and microwaves well.

 

[Oaktree]

Never heard of putting ground pork in meatloaf...I always use either ground beef or ground turkey.
I'll use regular onions instead of scallions, also add some worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce & chili powder. Top it off with shredded cheese & sliced black olives & in the oven.

Does anyone else put oatmeal or breadcrumbs in theirs? My wife thinks it's weird (though she likes the result) but that's how my mother always did it, and so do I. It helps make it less dense and brick-like, also absorbs some of the grease from the meat.

Just leave out the mushrooms..

Gotta have mushrooms! Love 'em!

But I have NEVER ordered meatloaf in a restaurant because I'm not sure what I'd be getting, even though I suspect it would be good. I just never got over remembering the meatloaf we were served at school when I was in elementary school. I don't know anything about their recipe, and obviously some liked it, but the only way I could get it down was to drown it in catsup. As a result, I only eat meatloaf at home.

I hear ya. ISTR school cafeteria meatloaf to be pretty nasty myself. Tried some from the deli at the local supermarket, but it was waaay too salty. Then again it could have just been me...I almost never add salt when I cook.

 

[Firemanbuck]

One of the guys at the firehouse would make a rolled/stuffed meatloaf. I think the center had ham, spinach and cheese of some sort. That got rolled into an outer shell of meatloaf that was first spread thin in a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. The whole mess was covered with a basket weave of bacon and cooked.

It's amazing that my high blood pressure is as low as it is....

 

[CADplans]

Never heard of putting ground pork in meatloaf...I always use either ground beef or ground turkey.
I'll use regular onions instead of scallions, also add some worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce & chili powder. Top it off with shredded cheese & sliced black olives & in the oven.

Does anyone else put oatmeal or breadcrumbs in theirs? My wife thinks it's weird (though she likes the result) but that's how my mother always did it, and so do I. It helps make it less dense and brick-like, also absorbs some of the grease from the meat.

I have always had breadcrumbs in meatloaf,,,

because of having that through my youth,, I have a difficult time eating meatloaf without bread,, the meatloaf seems too tough without bread.

The stuffed bell peppers were mentioned,,
my mother added rice to the meatloaf mix when it was used to stuff bell peppers,,,

The same mix, without the bell peppers, made into balls and cooked was called porcupine balls,, because of the rice sticking out all over,,,

 

[ovrszd]

I love Meatloaf. Especially their song "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights".

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I love Meatloaf. Especially their song "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights".

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.....

 

[goeduck]

I am making meatloaf tonight. I borrowed the green onion and mushroom idea which I have never used. I added Worcester sauce and bread crumbs which I always do. An extra egg too. Cannot wait. Yum!