Meatloaf.
A couple of weeks back I decided I needed to make meatloaf. Not Mexican Meatloaf like I make for The Pretty One, but classic meatloaf.
It doesn’t sound so hard, yet so often meatloaf turns out dry or blah. I wanted mine to have the “Mmmm!” factor, so I asked friends & family for a good meatloaf recipe. This is a variation of the Kitchen Kween’s recipe.
Meatloaf is very forgiving, so if you don’t like or have one ingredient, you can leave it out or switch it up with something else. Except for the meat – without meat, it’s not meatloaf! I use 90 or 93% ground beef (low fat), so I didn’t use a lot of breadcrumbs. If you use a less lean meat, adjust the breadcrumbs to about 1 cup.
I used hot Italian sausage because that’s what I had on hand. Because I only used about 1/2 pound, the finished product wasn’t too spicy. But you can always use mild Italian sausage instead. The Kitchen Kween is right about the sausage: you don’t really taste it as Italian sausage, but it gives the meatloaf another level of flavor.
I used Tone’s Steak Dust Seasoning but you could use any steak seasoning you have. It’ll add a richness to the beef, so try to use something similar if you’ve got access to it.
Other than that, add what you like, eliminate what you don’t, and serve it up! I made mashed potatoes and brown gravy for ours; I don’t care for ketchup and mustard on meatloaf. If gravy isn’t your thing, top the meatloaf with BBQ sauce before baking. Or do like our dad did – top the meatloaf with ketchup, then write something in mustard over that.
The Pretty One and I really enjoyed this meatloaf. It hit the spot! I’d love to hear how you like to eat your meatloaf!
Almost Classic Meatloaf
Stuff you need:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage (hot or mild, about 2 links), casing removed
1/2 onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs [Use 1 cup bread crumbs if you use meat that is less than 90% lean.]
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
3 teaspoons Tone’s Steak Dust Seasoning or other steak seasoning
Now what?
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Use your hands or put everything in a large zip bag and smoosh it together.
Shape into a loaf and put the meatloaf in a loaf pan. [Press into loaf shape but don't compress too tightly.]
Bake in 350F oven for about 50 minutes. Check for doneness and bake until the center is no longer pink.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
