Food & Wine's No-Apologies Meatloaf |
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Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 95 Minutes Servings: 20 |
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Being a Midwesterner born and bred, I (Heather) have had more than my fair share of meatloaf. As a child, I ordered open-faced meatloaf sandwiches every single time I went to my grandparents' diner. My grandpa said it was going to come out of my ears! :-) This recipe from Food & Wine magazine (Feb 1989, p. 131-132)is by far my favorite. The flavors are well balanced, and the oats redeem this fat-laden dish with a whole grain. Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (i use olive oil, can try half of each) |
1 large onion, finely diced |
1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced |
1 large celery rib, finely diced |
1 teaspoon thyme |
2 lbs lean ground beef, preferably sirloin |
1/2 cup rolled oats |
2/3 cup ketchup |
2 eggs, beaten |
2 teaspoons salt (i omit this) |
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper |
3 slices bacon, halved crosswise |
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion, green pepper, celery, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low; cook covered, stirring one or twice, until the vegetables are very soft (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F In a large bowl, combine cooked vegetables and beef. Add oats, 1/3 cup ketchup, eggs, salt, and pepper; mix well. Spoon the meat mixture into a large shallow baking dish. Form the meat into a flat loaf about 2 inches high and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Spread the remaining 1/3 cup ketchup over the loaf; arrange the bacon strips on top.
3. Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour or until it is just cooked through and shows no trace of pink. (A thermometer will register 145°F in the center of the loaf). Let the meatloaf stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
4. NOTES: For my large family, I double the recipe and increase cooking time to approximately 1-1/2 hours. A dash of Worcestershire sauce or Pick-A-Pepa kicks up the flavor nicely. You can also substitute turkey bacon, or omit the bacon and add a dash of liquid smoke. Using tomato paste on top of the meatloaf instead of ketchup adds a tangy flavor.
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