An easy, comforting and flavourful dish made with ground meat, usually beef, seasoned with spices, moulded into the shape of a loaf, topped with a glaze and baked. Besides beef, meatloaf can be prepared with pork, lamb, poultry, seafood or with a combination of meats. Served as a side dish with mashed potatoes and any leftovers can be enjoyed as meatloaf sandwiches the next day.
I have used a blend of ground beef and pork from the grocery store for moistness and flavour. Chopped onions and garlic were sauteed in oil, combined with the minced meat along with binding agents like eggs and breadcrumbs. They hold the loaf together retaining the juices, thereby keeping it moist and flavourful. The seasonings were kept to a minimum to highlight the meat rather than the spices. Shaped into a loaf, stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, brushed with a glaze on top and baked.
It is ideal to bake the meatloaf on a baking sheet or dish as it is uniformly exposed and cooks evenly in a drier environment. Baking in a loaf pan stews the meat resulting in the meatloaf swimming in fat, overcooking it with a grainy texture. The meatloaf should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 160 F or 70 C. Allowed to rest before slicing for the juices to draw back into the meat for a firm, smooth and juicier meatloaf.
I have used a blend of ground beef and pork from the grocery store for moistness and flavour. Chopped onions and garlic were sauteed in oil, combined with the minced meat along with binding agents like eggs and breadcrumbs. They hold the loaf together retaining the juices, thereby keeping it moist and flavourful. The seasonings were kept to a minimum to highlight the meat rather than the spices. Shaped into a loaf, stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, brushed with a glaze on top and baked.
It is ideal to bake the meatloaf on a baking sheet or dish as it is uniformly exposed and cooks evenly in a drier environment. Baking in a loaf pan stews the meat resulting in the meatloaf swimming in fat, overcooking it with a grainy texture. The meatloaf should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 160 F or 70 C. Allowed to rest before slicing for the juices to draw back into the meat for a firm, smooth and juicier meatloaf.
Meatloaf ready to be baked
Stuffed Meatloaf
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 kg beef and pork blend or minced meat of your choice
2 onions (finely chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper powder
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
5 or 6 hard-boiled eggs (peeled)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
For the glaze:
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Method:
Heat oil in a skillet, sauté onions and garlic till tender. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine the minced meat with the softened onions, garlic and rest of the ingredients except the hard-boiled eggs.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil.
Shape half of the meat mixture into a 10” x 5” loaf.
Place the eggs in the centre of the loaf.
Cover the eggs with remaining meat mixture and shape loaf on all sides.
Stir together the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl. Brush the loaf on top with half of the glaze.
Bake loaf for 1 hour and then brush the top with remaining glaze. Continue baking for an additional 30 minutes or until the juices run clear.
(In case of a meatloaf without stuffed eggs, check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. When inserted in the centre of the loaf, it should read 160 F or 70 C.)
Remove from the oven, tent with silver foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Cut into slices and serve with mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 medium-sized potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk (warm)
1/2 cup cream (warm)
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
salt
Method:
Pressure cook potatoes with some salt and water for a couple of whistles or till tender. Drain out water and peel potatoes.
Pass warm potatoes through a ricer.
In a saucepan, heat butter, milk and cream until butter is melted. Blend with riced potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with pepper and salt.
Serve mashed potatoes either by piping it or dolloping with a spoon.
Note:
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 kg beef and pork blend or minced meat of your choice
2 onions (finely chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper powder
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
5 or 6 hard-boiled eggs (peeled)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
For the glaze:
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Method:
Heat oil in a skillet, sauté onions and garlic till tender. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine the minced meat with the softened onions, garlic and rest of the ingredients except the hard-boiled eggs.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil.
Shape half of the meat mixture into a 10” x 5” loaf.
Place the eggs in the centre of the loaf.
Cover the eggs with remaining meat mixture and shape loaf on all sides.
Stir together the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl. Brush the loaf on top with half of the glaze.
Bake loaf for 1 hour and then brush the top with remaining glaze. Continue baking for an additional 30 minutes or until the juices run clear.
(In case of a meatloaf without stuffed eggs, check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. When inserted in the centre of the loaf, it should read 160 F or 70 C.)
Remove from the oven, tent with silver foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Cut into slices and serve with mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 medium-sized potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk (warm)
1/2 cup cream (warm)
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
salt
Method:
Pressure cook potatoes with some salt and water for a couple of whistles or till tender. Drain out water and peel potatoes.
Pass warm potatoes through a ricer.
In a saucepan, heat butter, milk and cream until butter is melted. Blend with riced potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with pepper and salt.
Serve mashed potatoes either by piping it or dolloping with a spoon.
Note:
- Meatloaf without eggs (pictures below). Four long green chillies and few fresh coriander leaves finely chopped were included in the meat mixture. Baked in a loaf pan lined with aluminum foil for easy removal. Ensure to lightly grease the foil. Temperature and time same as indicated above.
