Ultimate Meatloaf Recipe

Almost everyone has a good basic meatloaf recipe with bread crumbs as filler, and while some of these are good, moist meatloaf recipes, most are dry or lacking in flavor and very disappointing.

The perfect meatloaf is tender and juicy but not watery, and is bursting with flavor. Any good, basic meatloaf recipes must also be easy to make.

A few years ago, after testing and tossing a number of very disappointing contenders in the meatloaf category, we stumbled upon the Ultimate Meatloaf Recipe in a magazine called Cuisine at Home, and since then we have been converts. This meatloaf is tender yet firm, with a blend of flavors that accentuates the meat, and rates high marks in the easy-to-make category as well.

The Ultimate Meatloaf Recipe

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare two 8 x 3 3/4 disposable aluminium loaf pans by poking two large holes on each side of the pan with scissors. Place on metal racks set on foil-lined baking sheet.

Combine:
3 slices white bread, torn
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs, beaten
in a large mixing bowl. Soak 20-30 minutes then lightly mash to a paste consistency.

Saute in 3 tblsp butter:
1 1/2 cups onion, minced
1 cup pureed Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup celery, minced
1 tblsp garlic, minced
over medium high heat for approximately 3 minutes; cool 5 minutes.

Add to bread mixture:
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tblsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper

Fold in:
2 lb ground chuck
3/4 lb ground pork
and spoon meatloaf into loaf pans. Top with Chunky BBQ Topping.


To prepare Chunky BBQ Topping:

Saute:
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 tblsp garlic, minced
and saute 3 minutes.

Stir in:
1 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
2 tblsp brown sugar
salt to taste
1 tsp tabasco sauce (optional)
and simmer for 3 minutes. Spread topping evenly over meatloaves before baking.

Bake for 1 1/4 hours, or until international temperature reaches 160F. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before serving. Serve meatloaf with Tomato Gravy.


To prepare Tomato Gravy

Saute:
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
in saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp.

Add:
1 cup onion, diced
and saute 3 minutes, or until soft.

Deglaze with:
1/2 cup dry red wine
scraping up brown bits with a spoon

Add:
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1 1/2 cups Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tblsp prepared yellow mustard
2 tblsp brown sugar
and bring to a boil. Simmer until gravy is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy Cuisine at home

Enjoy!!

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