I received a request via my sister while I was in Florida for Meatloaf Dinner. I am more than happy to oblige my friends and family with meals of their request so...Here is my first attempt at meatloaf.
First a few words about the humble meatloaf. I feel that meatloaf is a formidable weapon in any parent's arsenal of comfort foods. However, if done wrong it is not a comfort but a torture. Bad meatloaf is a common problem if the media is to be believed. Nearly every show and occasional movie that features a family portrays the overtaxed mother placing a lump of something slimy, gray and coated in ketchup as the family dinner. To which the family in question groans and begins the arduous task of eating the tasteless mass.
This doesn't have to be the case! Don't let bad meatloaf ruin your self-respect or the respect for you of those around you!
Meatloaf may appear deceptively simple but it really is just this simple. Meatloaf is a couple kinds of ground meat combined with some binders and flavorings. Don't over think it. There are a two secrets to good meatloaf: spice and patience. Spice for flavor (like I needed to explain that) The Patience is a little trickier...Patience comes in a two part trial. Part one: Meatloaf takes a long time to cook, you will have to check on it a bunch of times because over cooking will make it awful and under-cooking is gross. Part two: You are going to have to let is sit for at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven to redistribute the juices or it will be both horridly dry and greasy at the same time.
A lot of people top meatloaf with ketchup. I feel that this is a mistake on multiple levels. 1.) Ketchup is a very strong flavor and is fairly obviously being used in this instance to cover up for bad meatloaf. 2.) The appearance and texture of baked ketchup on a meatloaf is fairly unappetizing. 3.) The natural accompaniment to meatloaf is mashed potatoes...therefore gravy should be the toping of choice for meatloaf.
This meal does utilize several fairly uncommon pieces of equipment that, though not completely necessary, do make things much easier: Food Processor (blender can be substituted), Loaf Pan, Masher -for chunky potatoes (Food Mill-for smooth potatoes). Other than these odd items you probably have everything you are going to need already on hand.
So with out further ado...Meatloaf meal Take 1
Italian Meatloaf with Garlic/Vermouth Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Dilled Baby Carrots
To make this you will need:
1 Small Baking Pan (brownie style with high sides)
1 Cutting board
1 Sharp Knife
2 Medium Sauce Pans
A large Mixing Bowl
A Food Processor
A small Scraps/Prep Bowl
A Fork
A Masher or Food Mill
A Glass Loaf Pan
A Small Sauce Pan
Ingredients:
1or 2 Heads of Garlic (actual garlic not the pre-chopped stuff in the jar)(Number depends on how garlicky you want the potatoes)
½ C Dry or Extra Dry Vermouth (more if using 2 heads)
2-4 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¾ lb of Yukon Gold Potatoes (ordinary Idaho russets will not do, you need to get Yukon Golds)
9 Tbsp Butter
0 to ¼ C Chicken Broth (Depending on how moist you want the mashed potatoes)
½ lb Ground Beef
½ lb Ground Pork
1 large Onion
10 baby Carrots
1 Tbsp Garlic if Chopped (3 large cloves if fresh)
3 Slices of whole wheat bread
2 Eggs
2-5 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2-5 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
0-5 tsp Hot Sauce (Optional)
1-3tsp each of 2 to 5 different spices (I chose Tarragon, Oregano, and Marjoram)
4 Pieces of Bacon (Optional, I recommended not using any it makes it very greasy and adds fat and calories no one needs)
½ lb of baby carrots
4 Cups of Orange Juice
½ C Fresh Dill
¼ C Fresh Cilantro
¼ to ½ a Jalapeño (Optional)
4 Tbsp Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste
3/4C or more Chicken Broth
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (This will take at minimum 15 minutes, some ovens come with a buzzer that lets you know when it has reached the desired temp.)
Cut the top ¼ to ½ inch off the top of the head(s) of garlic
Place the garlic in the small baking pan
Pour the Olive oil on the garlic
Pour the Vermouth in the pan
Bake the garlic in the oven for 25 to 35 min (until golden brown but not burnt check periodically)
Assemble the meatloaf ingredients...Beef, Pork, Onions, Carrots, Garlic, Bread, Eggs, Vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, Hot Sauce, Spices...on a clean surface along with the food processor, knife, cutting board and a mixing bowl.
Place the meat in the bowl and mix some with your hands (rubber gloves can be worn and are recommended if you have long nails)
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Peel and quarter the onions (Go ahead and cut both the top and bottom off the onion then peel it. Then cut in half lengthwise and width wise)
Place onion and carrots in the food processor. Pulse until the onion and carrots are evenly chopped and look kind of like wet pencil shavings. (don't liquefy these veggies)
Round about now the garlic should be ready in the oven. Take the pan out and cool down. Leave oven on and at the same temp.
Add the garlic (if while cloves are being used) and the bread (after tearing it into medium sized pieces...6 to 10 chunks per slice) to the food processor and pulse again for a few moments. The result should look kind of like a slightly coarser version of cooked instant oatmeal in texture.
Add the bread/veggies mixture to the meat in the bowl and combine with your hands.
Add the eggs and incorporate
Add the spice and sauces/vinegar to the meatloaf mixture in the bowl and incorporate.
Carefully put meatloaf mixture in the loaf pan. Top with a few slices of bacon. (I now feel that the bacon is a bad idea as it makes the meatloaf very greasy, I recommend omitting or perhaps cooking the bacon ahead of time and adding to the meatloaf at the end of cooking time)
And put meatloaf in the oven for the next 60 to 90 minutes. (My meatloaf is fairly dense and just wouldn't cook, I ended up upping the temp to get it done.)
Seeing as the meatloaf takes so very long to cook you can freely take 30 minutes and talk to you family...watch the news...read a book...Or you can keep cooking and reheat everything at the end if they finish before the meatloaf.
Peel and Chop Potatoes into 1 inch pieces (roughly the size of standard dice)
Put potatoes in a medium sauce pan and cover with water, add salt if desired. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until done. (Check doneness with a fork, stab a potato piece, the fork should pierce the potato easily but the potato should not fall apart.)
Place the remaining baby carrots in a pan and cover with orange juice. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. (Check doneness with a fork . Carrot doneness is a matter of choice and can be cooked until they feel like fully cooked potatoes – see step 19 – or until the fork can barely pierce the side)
While the carrots and potatoes are cooking...chop some fresh cilantro and dill herbs and some Jalapeño if you are using it.
Take the small the sauce pan and melt 4 Tbsp of butter, but do not burn. To the melted butter add the flour, some of the same spices you used in the meatloaf, hot sauce if you like it and stir until the flour has begun to brown. You will know your roux is ready when your flour butter mix is slightly darker than your favorite khakis.
When the roux is the right color slowly add some chicken broth and then whisk until the mix is smooth and repeat (if you have the dexterity or help you can whisk and pour at the same time). Stir occasionally over low heat...This gravy is done.
Drain carrots but do not drain completely, add a Tbsp butter the pepper and the herbs and stir.
Put a lid on the carrots...They are done.
Drain potatoes. (A colander is useful for this but not necessary) Feel free to leave some water in with the potatoes if you want to forgo the chicken broth (This will also help preserve some of the vitamins)
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While the potatoes are still hot, but after that have been drained, add 4 Tbsp of Butter. (You can choose less or even none but I would not recommend more than 4 Tbsp) And then begin mashing by whatever means you prefer or have available. (A food mill will give you a creamier result as the potatoes are going to be smaller and more uniform in the
resulting mash; a masher will give you a home-style lumpier result) (If making food for children...remember that texture is as important as flavor for winning them over on a food. If the didn't like your mashed potatoes last time, try them the other way and see if they like it this way – Of course the same goes for picky eater adults)
Carefully (the garlic might not be fully cool) remove the individual cloves of garlic from the head(s). You can squeeze them out with a firm grip on the head or you can pick them out with a fork. I tend to prefer the fork method as it is less messy. Drop the garlic cloves as you acquire them into the mashed potatoes and them mix them in with more mashing or simply stir them if you want more of a surprise bite than a uniform flavor.
Put a Lid on the potatoes...They are done.
When the meatloaf is done it will be brown in the center when pierced with a knife. It will be very moist. You can check the internal temp if you have a handy meat thermometer...it will read: 160° to 170°.
You will need to let the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes and probably better off at 30 minutes...During which you will reheat the side dishes.
This meatloaf was terrific but is needs to be better. Some questions...Why didn't my meatloaf cook like the websites say it will? Can I cook the bacon by itself to prevent the added fat?
This meatloaf will feed 8 well.
Nutrition:
Calories per serving: 548
Fat: 37g
Protein: 17g
Cholesterol: 129mg
Sodium: 677mg
Potassium: 989mg
Fiber: 3g
Calcium: 137mg
Iron: 5mg
Zinc: 3mg
Vitamin C: 36mg
Vitamin A (as Beta carotene): 7384IU
B6: 4mg
B12: 1.2mcg
B1: 4mg
B2: 3mg
Folacin: 77mcg
Niacin: 6mg
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