CLASSIC MEAT LOAF
THIS RECIPE WORKS: Not all meat loaves resemble Mom's. Some recipes go
the
canned soup route and, frankly, taste like it. Others become gussied up
with
ingredients that have no place in this humble family dish-canned
pineapple,
sun-dried tomatoes, and the like. Our goal was not to develop the
ultimate
meat loaf but to bring it back to its classic roots-a tender, well
seasoned loaf smothered with tangy sweet glaze.
We started, of course, with the meat. We determined that supermarkets
haven't been selling "meat loaf mix" for no reason-a mixture of ground
beef
chuck, ground pork and ground veal produced the best balance of flavors
and
textures. A starch turned out to be a necessity for binding the meat and
giving it that classic meat loaf texture; cracker crumbs, quick-cooking
oatmeal, and fresh bread crumbs all worked well. To prevent the filler
from
drying out the meat loaf, we knew we needed to add some. moisture. After
trying a host of options, we determined that whole milk and plain yogurt
are
equally acceptable. Finally, we realized that the pan in which the meat
loafbaked made a big difference. A standard loaf pan traps the fat and
stews
the meat, and the juice bubbles up and destroys the glaze. Baking the
meat
loaf free-form in a shallow baking pan gave the loaf a good crust,
preserved
our sweet-tart glaze, and helped the bacon topping crisp nicely"
Meat Loaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze
SERVES 6 TO 8
If you like, you can omit the bacon topping from the loaf. In this case,
brush on half of the glaze before bak ing and the other half during the
last 15 minutes of baking. If you choose not to special-order the mix of
meat below, we recommend the standard meat loaf mix of equal parts beef,
pork, and veal, available at most grocery stores. Lining the baking pan
with
foil makes for easier cleanup.
BROWN SUGAR-KETCHUP GLAZE
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1.4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider or white vinegar
MEAT LOAF
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2
teaspoons)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk or plain yogurt, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 pounds meat loaf mix (50 percent ground chuck, 25 percent ground pork,
25
percent ground veal) (see note)
2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers (about 16) or quick oatmeal or 1 1/3
cups
fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 ounces bacon (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape) (see note)
1. FOR THE GLAZE: Mix all the ingredients together in a small saucepan;
set
aside.
2. FOR THE MEAT LOAF: Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with foil; set
aside.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the
onion and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to
cool
while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. Mix the eggs with the milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt,
pepper,
thyme, and hot sauce. Add the egg mix ture to the meat in a large bowl
along with the crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with a
fork until evenly blended and the meat mixture does not stick to the
bowl.
(If necessary, add more milk, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until
the
mixture no longer sticks.)
4. Turn the meat mixture onto a work surface. With wet hands, pat the
mixture into approximately a 9 by 5-inch loaf shape. Place on the
prepared
baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange the bacon slices,
crosswise, over the loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking only the
bacon tip ends under the loaf.
5. Bake the loaf until the bacon is crisp and the center of the loaf
registers 160 degrees on an instant-read ther mometer, about 1 hour.
Cool
at least 20 minutes. Simmer the remaining glaze over medium heat until
thickened slightly. Slice the meat loaf and serve with the extra glaze
passed separately.
The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001/2010
