NEW RSS feed! | Wed 12.10.08 |
Meatloaf |
I do love the meatloaf.
My mother prepared meatloaf often when I was pretty young but quit by the time I was nine or ten, for which she now blames the picky tongues of her children. I don't quite remember it like that, and at any rate, I certainly can't picture myself turning away a plate of meatloaf these days. There's just something so uniquely American about it, like a bastardized version of a terrine or a mousse, topped with a ketchup glaze.
My ideal meatloaf is one that is moist, meaty, and with a nice crust of caramelized ketchup. The fad nowadays seems to be eliminating the filler of bread crumbs and adding gelatin to give the loaf a softer mouth-feel. After trying this a few times, I'm not really convinced. For one, I happen to like the idea of adding bread to extend the amount of meat you use, and further, I like the flavor a sourdough or rye bread can give the loaf. And I'll admit the gelatin does yield a softer, finer texture, but frankly I'm not sure how desirable this is. I prefer meatloaf with a meatier texture, provided of course that it is still moist.
So for my meatloaf, I like to use a mix of beef, pork and lamb. Typically, pre-mixed "meatloaf mix" uses veal in lieu of the lamb, but I just happen to like the flavor of lamb. You do lose some of the tenderness the veal provides -- this can be compensated by using a fattier cut of beef like chuck. I like lots of sweated vegetables keep everything nice and moist, and lots of grated horseradish give the loaf its distinctive (in my mind) flavor. In order to maximize the crust-to-interior ratio, I am definitely of the impression that a free-form loaf beats one cooked in a loaf pan.
Of course, the best thing about meatloaf might be the leftovers, which are good cold, and especially so in a sandwich, smeared with some mayo and more grated horseradish. Luckily, it's just as easy to make a big meatloaf as it is a small one.
Meatloaf
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
8 oz mushrooms (i like cremini), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh sourdough or rye bread crumbs (3-4 slices)
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground lamb
2 teaspoons dijon-ish mustard
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 teaspoons grated horseradish (i like a lot)
2 teaspoons worcesterhire sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
Turn on the oven to 350°F.
Sweat the onion (season it) in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms (season them) after the onion is translucent, and cook until the vegetables are pretty soft, about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the breadcrumbs by running the bread in a food processor or cubing the bread finely with a knife. Once the vegetables are cooked and cooled a little, combine them with the mustard, garlic, horseradish, milk, and eggs and beat this until combined.
In a separate large bowl, combine the meats and season them well with the worcestershire, thyme, and salt and pepper. Add the milk-egg-veggie mixture and the bread crumbs and mix this just enough to bring everything together.
On a large sheet pan, form this mixture into a loaf and spread the top with the ketchup. You can add some root vegetables here to cook alongside the meatloaf. Cook in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, perhaps brushing the loaf with some more ketchup 3/4 of the way in.
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
8 oz mushrooms (i like cremini), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh sourdough or rye bread crumbs (3-4 slices)
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground lamb
2 teaspoons dijon-ish mustard
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 teaspoons grated horseradish (i like a lot)
2 teaspoons worcesterhire sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
Turn on the oven to 350°F.
Sweat the onion (season it) in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms (season them) after the onion is translucent, and cook until the vegetables are pretty soft, about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the breadcrumbs by running the bread in a food processor or cubing the bread finely with a knife. Once the vegetables are cooked and cooled a little, combine them with the mustard, garlic, horseradish, milk, and eggs and beat this until combined.
In a separate large bowl, combine the meats and season them well with the worcestershire, thyme, and salt and pepper. Add the milk-egg-veggie mixture and the bread crumbs and mix this just enough to bring everything together.
On a large sheet pan, form this mixture into a loaf and spread the top with the ketchup. You can add some root vegetables here to cook alongside the meatloaf. Cook in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, perhaps brushing the loaf with some more ketchup 3/4 of the way in.
