Meatloaf

I wrote down this meatloaf recipe, only when my Mom and Dad haggled me for it & I'd moved away.

I watched the recipe cooked on TV and it all started there. I can't say for sure when. But! I can say it was when Sara Moulton was still on air on Food Network. Her show was Sara's Secrets & that Moulton was the mousiest of mice-women. She wore converse shoes though, which I found out later on and thought her to be cool.

ANYWAYS! My family loves this meatloaf because it is never dry, supple, and tastes good. The topping is perty good too.

Happy Accident: I made the recipe verbatim, the first go-around. I am a full fledged believer that when I'm trying someone ELSE's recipe, I should do just as they say/instruct. I feel it's disrespectful otherwise. Dad will most likely disagree totally with me on this particular belief. Whatevs, I'm always right.

Oh yah, back to the happy accident. Well, the meatloaf turned out so well that my parents wanted to see the recipe - they couldn't believe or were obviously trying to figure out what it was I did so differently. Turns out, the recipe called for 2lbs of ground meat. I'd just used 1lb. WHOOPS!

So anyways, I still to this day use only 1lb of ground beef. I unknowingly stretched a dollar back then, and I must say - I really could care less. All I care is that my meatloaf is yummy and doesn't taste like a mysterious loaf of meat. That sounds horrid.

For my meatloaf, I only use ground beef. Sometimes 85/15 and sometimes 92/8 (that's the fat to meat ratio if you're wondering)

But feel free to add ground veal, turkey, or whatever you have on hand. Trust me, it's going to be fine. It's just a loaf of baked meat. Order pizza if it's that bad. Jeepers.

Meatloaf crucials: Dried thyme, Ketchup, and a nice family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no oven. sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

 

 

Going to give a rough-drafted recipe from memory. Mom is digging up the one I gave her. I'll edit when she sends it to me via text message.

1lb Ground Beef
1 1/2tsp dried Thyme
2 Eggs
1/2c Milk

1/2c Grated Parm

1/3c Grated Onion
1/4c Heinz Ketchup

1tsp Dijon Mustard
dashes (8) Tobasco
1.5 - 2c of bread crumbs. (fresh or store bought dried)

Topping:
1 1/2c ketchup
1Tbl Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4c Brown sugar

Directions -
Flake beef and season with thyme, S & P (about 3/4teas Kosher salt per Pound of Ground Beef is a general 'need to know.

Whisk rest of ingredients together

Dump over beef. Add bread crumbs. Mix to combine.

Butter/Oil and Parm/breadcrumb a baking dish. Dump in meat loaf (or free form on a cookie sheet)

Bake @ 350 for 45min. Add whisked together topping. Bake additional 15min and then (optional) Broil for 5min.