Meatloaf is really easy to put together. Some people think that it's made from leftovers like some casseroles but it's hardly the case. When I was growing up I remembered that my mother used to make the most delicious meatloaves from meat, tuna, carrots and beans. It always had a delicious crust from baking it just a little longer in the oven.
The other day, I decided to make one for fun and it literally disappeared before my eyes. Though most people don't really make them here, once it's out of the oven and the yummy, meaty smells fills your kitchen, no one can really help taking a slice. I had to make another one just so I could have a piece.
Here's a simple recipe for making meatloaf.
Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
1 carrot
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
8 button mushrooms, sliced
½ kg of minced meat
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tsp mustard
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
Seasonings:
1 tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar, cumin and olive oil
Method:
In a food processor blitz bread, carrot, onion and garlic.
Transfer blitzed ingredients into a bowl and mix evenly with minced meat, mushrooms, seasonings, ketchup, mustard and eggs.
Use hands to press mix into a loaf pan.
Brush the top of the loaf with a bit of egg.
Preheat your oven at 200°C and bake for 45 minutes. If you like a crunchier crust, add an extra 10 minutes to baking time. Just check regularly so you don't burn it.
Rest meatloaf for 15 minutes before slicing. This is so that all the juices will flow back into the meat making it succulent.
"It literally disappeared before my eyes!"
The trick for making your meatloaf super tasty is to do a savoury glaze that you spread on top that finishes it off. You can experiment a little on the glaze as long as it contains tomato ketchup.
Meatloaf Glaze:
¼ cup tomato sauce
2 tbs barbecue sauce
1 tbs mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
Method:
Mix all together and spread it on the meatloaf before serving.
Results:
Your meatloaf should be moist and full of flavour from all those vegetables and meat and spices. Here are some essential tips for making yummy meatloaf:
- Use fresh vegetables instead of frozen vegetables for more moistness.
- Ketchup is the essential ingredient so you can't substitute it with something else like tomato paste (too sour) or chilli sauce (not the same tartness). Ketchup is also used because at the end of the day. a meatloaf utilises everyday things in your kitchen and created for convenience.
- It's also essential you use breadcrumbs not only to bind it but to also give it heft and shape. It also won't crumble to pieces when you cut it.
Chef says:
This is an easy dish to make after work. You can mix it the night before, keep it in the fridge and just pop it in the oven when you get home.
Eat it with mash potatoes and crunchy green beans
Be creative: mix different kinds of meat like chopped sausages or minced lamb so that your meatloaf will have more textures and flavours. I guarantee you will get requests to make this again.
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am going to try this today. i know the chef-in-residence recipe never fails.
by Riz Ainuddin November 16, 2009 2:31PM
I made this on Friday night with some variations, it turned out pretty well, moist and tasty. I used minced chicken, a whole can of button mushrooms chopped, added in a stick of celery finely chopped, doubled up the cumin and used oregano for additional flavour.
Finally, I baked it 190C for 60 minutes.
Oh yes, I had made some BBQ sauce earlier so I used that for the glaze.
Thank you to the chef-in-residence for adding another recipe to my box
by lyminn August 24, 2009 2:18AM
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