[marleymae]

hey everyone.
i love meatloaf, especially cooking it how simple! the problem is.. my fiance does not like it. he just doesnt prefer it. he says its blah...
now i put onions and garlic seasoning and bbq sauce in it for flavor.

does anyone have any good meatloaf recipes or suggestions???

thanks!
peace,

[KirstenS]

I have never been a fan of meatloaf but I recently made one in which I was told would change my taste for it. Italian meatloaf....Michael Chiarello's recipe. Delicious. It was like eating one giant meatball. You saute onion, pepper, and garlic. Let cool once tender. Mix in with ground beef, eggs, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, fresh basil, fresh parsley, and balsamic. Free form on a baking sheet and top with marinara sauce. I highly recommend it.

[singer4660]

I've probably tried 3 or 4 dozen meatloaf recipes in my life and none can compare with this one from an old Good Housekeeping cookbook. I've been making it for so long I no longer use a recipe so the measurements are approximate, but you might be able to find it online on their web site.

Lemon Barbecue Meatloaf
1 pound ground beef (80/20)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup diced onion (I use Vidalia's)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix lightly and form into a loaf in 9 x 5 loaf pan

Mix together 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice. Pour over the meatloaf and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain off fat and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

[OregonYeti]

Originally Posted by KirstenS

Free form on a baking sheet . . .

That's how I like to cook it. I use oatmeal in mine.

Scroll to the bottom of this page and you'll see other threads about meatloaf. A lot of great info there

[MaryB]

Free form indirect on a grill or in a smoker is super tasty. I use oatmeal too, add spices, onion, garlic, veg, cheese, etc. for extra flavor. Bacon over the top is also good.

[OregonYeti]

Originally Posted by MaryB

Free form indirect on a grill or in a smoker is super tasty. I use oatmeal too, add spices, onion, garlic, veg, cheese, etc. for extra flavor. Bacon over the top is also good.

I'll have some of that

[DC Sunshine]

I love it how mum would make it (mum's food is usually the best the world over).
She'd make it pretty much like singer's recipe, but no lemon. Add in some tomato puree/paste (the concentrate), dried oregano, paprika. But no sauce for the top.

She'd fry off some sliced mushrooms, let them cool. Form the meat into a loaf shape, put the mushrooms over the top. Wrap the whole lot in sheet of puff pastry, then cook in mod. oven till meat done, then crank up oven to brown and puff the pastry.

Sometimes whole boiled eggs were stuffed into the middle in a line so everyone got some. Bit like a giant scotch egg.

The end bits were fought over....endlessly Lots of crispy thick pastry....oh now I want some. The base of the pastry was full of juices from the meat and sooo tasty.

Good food memory

[siduri]

DCsunshine, yeah, cooking wrapped in puff pastry is great, keeps all the flavor in. I often do a more homey version by wrapping in parchment paper. Though some like the crustiness of a free-form shape unwrapped. Here, though, the ground meat is practically without fat and the final product tastes like compacted sawdust if you do that!

I use uncooked grated onion and garlic, a little thyme (subtle!) salt, pepper, some breadcrumbs soaked in milk, one egg, and LOTS OF PARMIGIANO - the milk makes it soft, the egg binds it (don;t put more than one or it will be dry) and the parmigiano gives a good taste and texture.

P.S., an italian meatloaf would be done like that, but would be cooked in a pot generally - browned and then covered with a little liquid. personally I don't like it that way. I find it gets dry. But maybe because the person cooking it didn;t really cook that well.

[MaryB]

If the meat is to lean add in some ground pork, or ground bacon(or fatback). I pat the mixture out in a rectangle on some parchment and add grated cheese, thin sliced veg, thin sliced ham, or what do you have in the fridge to use up and roll it up. Wrap in bacon or more ham and into the smoker or oven. It is a great way to use up leftovers, I have even used leftover mashed potatoes.

[bughut]

I make a basic recipe meatloaf plus chilli and garlic, in a loaf pan... No-one in the family really rates it... Until...
Once its out of the oven I press it. ( weigh it down with a couple of cans of tomatoes) and refridgerate overnight.

Next day it makes fabulous sandwiches. Then for dinner it's sliced and fried(The pressing makes it firm) and stuffed into pitta bread with salad, yogurt/chilli sauce served with sweet potato wedges and lemon wedges

Even better than a donner kebab

[marmalady]

Used to make this for lunch delivery/sandwiches - it's a little different - the roasted garlic and onions add great flavor!

MY MEATLOAF

1/12 lbs. mix ground beef, veal and pork
¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/3 cup heavy cream
1T worchestershire sauce
½ tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. mushroom base
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dry thyme
1T roast garlic
2T carmelized onion
¼ cup minced parsely

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine cream and crumbs, and let sit. Puree roast garlic and onion. Mix together egg, worchestershire, pureed garlic/’onion, salt, pepper, thyme and mushroom base.

In large bowl, combine meat, crumbs and egg mixture; mix w/hands til well blended. Form into a loaf on an oiled baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour or til thermometer reads 160. Let rest before cutting.

[LuvPie]

Chowhound.com
Then in the subject line type in:
"ISO the best darn meatloaf recipe ever, period"
I have personally made approximately 15 from this thread and all but about 2
have been amazing.
Check out the thread (about 150 replies).

[Just Jim]

which 2?

[LuvPie]

Tyler Florence one was mentioned
a few times, I made it not good

[DerekD]

This one is from Throwdown w/Bobby Flay. It belongs to the Collucci Brothers, who 'won' the episode. I tried it and loved.

Ingredients

Salad oil
1 carrot, small to medium dice
2 stalks celery, small to medium dice
1 medium onion, small to medium dice
2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Dash Worcestershire sauce
3 slices bread
1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
Ketchup

Directions

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
In a medium-sized saute pan, put 2 dribbles of salad oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots, celery, and onions and saute, about 5 minutes. Put aside and let cool.
In large bowl put the carrot mixture, ground beef and remaining ingredients, except for the bread, the bread crumbs and ketchup. Soak the bread in cold water, then squeeze water out (like a sponge) and drain it. Add to the ground beef and mix. (A stand mixer is may help make it easier). Add the bread crumbs and mix. Roll into firm loaf, spread ketchup over the top, and place into preheated oven for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, or until cooked through. Take out and serve hot.