Meatloaf

[momskitchen]

I am looking for a great traditional meatloaf recipe (i.e. no poultry, lentils, etc). You know, one made with beef and maybe some veal and pork added in. I've never been happy with mine. Your ideas?

[Jimmy Buffet]

I can't give exact proportions here because I make them by feel....

About two pounds of ground meat - 2/3 beef, 1/3 pork
Two eggs
Large chopped onion
Small amount of garlic
Chopped green pepper
Can of crushed tomatoes
Mrs. Dash's seasoning
Fresh ground pepper
Bread crumbs to make a stiff mixture

I mix all ingredients in a bowl using my hands in rubber gloves.
Mold into pan, bake around 350 until done
You can baste with ketchup on top before baking if desired...

[QueenB]

I've had a lot of success using a mixture of ground beef, parsley, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, ketchup, salt and pepper. It comes out moist and tasty every time. I don't know the proportions off the top of my head, but can look them up for you.
I top with a 50/50 mixture of BBQ sauce and ketchup and bake.

[ChiliDude]

No matter what ingredients you use, shape the mixture in rectangle with a flat top. That way if you like to make sandwiches from the leftover meatloaf, the shape of the slices is correct. My wife usually makes meatloaf with 2 pounds of ground meat, but there only 2 of us in our empty nest. Ergo, there is leftover meatloaf, and I love meatloaf sandwiches.

My wife also makes a piquant sauce with catsup, dry mustard, brown sugar, and a little cayenne. This sauce is slathered on the meatloaf after 2/3 of the baking time has elapsed. A flat-topped loaf also keeps the sauce from running off.

Do not place in loaf pan so that excess fat can drain into your broiler pan.

[Gio]

Our favorite is Paul Prudhomme's Cajun Meatloaf recipe. Here's a link:
http://topchefs.chef2chef.net/recipes...

( we do substitute the unmentionable meat, however. LOL, and mix our own
seasoning blends from recipes in his cook books.)

[mojoeater]

I saw Paula Dean place bread under the loaf while baking. That way, the grease is absorbed by the bread, rather than the meat. Neat trick.

[flipkeat]

Last Thursday I made this recipe. Only thing I changed was I added fresh grated onion to it...It was good.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-an...

[NYchowcook]

okay, I guess you're new to this board. We have been all over meatloaf. Try a search.
here's a start
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/362149

[Gio]

Hmmmmm.... point well taken. 11 + pages of previous meatloaf postings. I guess the thing to do here is Search before starting a thread or adding a reply. Let's see if I can remember.

[momskitchen]

Sorry, I didn't notice it.

[AnnaEA]

I like a meat loaf made with equal parts ground beef, ground veal, and ground pork - I think the flavour is better then straight ground beef. And I use a fine dice of green and red peppers and onions sauteed and added with the bread crumbs - gives a nice juiciness to the meatloaf, and the little pepper bits are a fun internal garnish.

[gargantua]

Whatever recipe you choose, you will be happier using 80/20 ground chuck. Don't go looking to save some calories with lean meat. Likewise veal is usually super lean so go easy. Make sure you use a pork shoulder if you are add pork.

I have found that I really like grinding my own meat and it is super easy with a ktichenaid attachment.

[weinstein5]

I just recently made a meatloaf with a combination of Veal and Beef - camelized onions and garlic, fresh ground pepper, 2 slices day old breadand 2 eggs - I did add a little vegetable stock because it looked a little dry - cover with barbecue sauce and I then followed a suggestion from the other thread Nychowcook gave you - of wrapping the the loaf in bacon - since I keep kosher I used Beef Fry instead - came out delicious -

[pikawicca]

The Lish Nielson's Meatloaf recipe on epicurious is great!

[smartie]

I put two boiled eggs inside my meatloaf so that when sliced the eggs are also sliced.

and loads of gravy (Bisto which has to be brought over from England for me)

[mickie44]

Bisto is available in Canada if that's easier for you.

[Tonto]

I guess I have more to learn,what is a Bisto.

[mickie44]

I've never used it but I think it's just a gravy mix -- I see it on the shelf beside Oxo.

[bryan]

I agree with the posters who suggest more than one kind of meat. And you do want fat in the meat too. I use a combo of beef, pork and veal - in that order. Add savory items: garlic, onion, herbs, salt and pepper. Keep it simple. Bulk it up with bread that's been soaked in a little milk and add a raw egg if you want. But do not over mix it - that will make your meatloaf heavy. You can bake it with some bacon on top which adds flavor too. But my trick is to not sauce it until the last 15 minutes of cooking. Then it's usually just some b-b-q sauce or ketchup mixed with a little brown sugar and some finely minced onion. Another trick is not to bake it in a loaf pan. Free form your meatloaf and bake it on a jelly roll pan. Every 20 minutes or so, drain the fat. It's not difficult at all, but if you're doubting your recipe, fry some up in a pan and taste it first... if it's good, your meatloaf is going to be good too.

[Tonto]

I like to put cheese in mine, tiny cubes. I use shredded wheat instead of bread crumbs, and I add milk.