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A MEMORABLE MEAT LOAF
Dad loves meat loaf best of all (almost!). After all these years, I found this recipe in 1996 in Cooks Illustrated Magazine where Pam Anderson and Karen Tack went about this recipe very scientifically----and came up with truly the most memorable meat loaf hubby and I ever tasted (included my own!). The meat loaf may also be baked in a 9-by-5-inch greased loaf pan without bacon on top, but I have found that a shallow baking pan works best and it's easier to remove the loaf from the pan!
Serves: 6
Prep.Time: 30minutes + 1 hour baking time + 20 minutes standing time
GLAZE:
1/2 cup Ketchup or Chili Sauce
4 tablespoons Brown Sugar
4 teaspoons Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
MEAT LOAF:
2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
1 medium Onion -- chopped medium
2 cloves Garlic -- minced
2 large Eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme Leaves, or 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup Whole Milk or Plain Yogurt
2 pounds Meat Loaf Mix (50% ground chuck, 25% ground pork, 25% ground veal) *
2/3 cup crushed Saltine Crackers (about 16) or quick oatmeal, or 1-1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced Fresh Parsley Leaves or 1 tablespoon dried Parsley
8 slices Bacon (or more if needed)
FOR THE GLAZE: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.
FOR THE MEAT LOAF: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; lightly grease a shallow baking pan. In a medium skillet, heat oil; saute onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes, and set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and milk or yogurt; mix well. In a large mixing bowl, place meat, carcker crumbs and parsley; add cooked onion and garlic; mix well. Add liquid; mix well with a large fork until evenly blended and does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple of teaspoons at a time until mixture no longer sticks.) Turn meat mixture out onto the center of prepared baking pan; press and mold into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Brush top of loaf with half the glaze; then arrange bacon slices crosswise over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only the bacon tip ends under loaf. Bake about 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let stand 20 minutes **; meanwhile heat remaining glaze over low heat and serve separately with meat loaf.
NOTES: * 1-1/2 lbs ground beef plus 1/2 lb. ground pork can be used if you can't find (or afford) ground veal.
** They found that letting the meat loaf stand EXACTLY 20 minutes works best (and I agree).

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