ISO Meatloaf Recipe

[Merlot]

The best meatloaf recipe I have ever found uses a tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire, and mustard topping in place of ketchup. I think I left the egg out on one occasion and it was still delicious!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Just have a quick question. Can u make meatloaf without eggs? If so does anyone have a recipe I can have?

Why do you want to leave out the eggs?

Talked to my mom yesterday, she admits her meatloaf is horrible (and it was, as I remember). She was giving it another try, using StoveTop stuffing mix, chopped onions, egg, etc. The one thing she insists on putting in is steak sauce. She won't do meatloaf without it. I hate steak sauce, and have the feeling that's been the deal breaker all along.

Instead of A-1 or other steak sauce try using about 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon of Wright's Liquid Smoke per pound of beef.

I top my own meat loaf recipe with Homade (brand) chile sauce. It's a sweet relishy ketchupy sauce, but not as ketchupy as ketchup.

 

[Timothy]

It's a sweet relishy ketchupy sauce, but not as ketchupy as ketchup.

Say that real fast, five times!

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Thanks for all the Meatloaf Posts.

I prepare my meatloaf with 1/4 ground beef, 1/4 ground pork and 1/2 pork sausage meat taken out of the casing ... I employ Ragù Emilia Romagna Bolognese sauce, Fiore Sardo ewe pecorino, Reggiano Parmesano from Parma and Egg(s) to hold it together and for the moisture ... It is very flavourful ...

I love meatloaf and have not had it for ages ... I believe it is on Lunch Carte for Saturday ... with a cream of fennel and leek gazpacho ... It is in the 60s farenheit ... and this way, leftovers as I enjoy cold meatloaf on a hero type Italian style bread ...

Kind regards.
Margi.

 

[Addie]

Say that real fast, five times!

With or without my teeth. You have been missed.

 

[Addie]

If you are leaving the egg out due to an allergy, then try looking at the pourable egg products in the refrigerator section at your supermarket. I think there is one product that is egg free, but acts like an egg in cooking.

 

[tinlizzie]

I'm no help with the egg question, but saw Ina Garten and a guest making meatloaf using panko crumbs (put through a food processor) in place of regular crumbs and adding fresh herbs. That was just a day or so ago if anyone cares to check out that recipe.

 

[Caslon]

The best meatloaf recipe I have ever found uses a tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire, and mustard topping in place of ketchup. I think I left the egg out on one occasion and it was still delicious!

For me, chili sauce makes a better topping on meatloaf, not ketchup. I add it to the top of the loaf about 10 minutes before removing it from the oven.

Also, I've not used eggs in my meatloaves before. I'll try it and see if it binds the meat together better for slicing, altho that's not been that big a problem with me before, I just cut the loaf slowly and carefully so as not to have it crumble apart.

 

[taxlady]

I'm no help with the egg question, but saw Ina Garten and a guest making meatloaf using panko crumbs (put through a food processor) in place of regular crumbs and adding fresh herbs. That was just a day or so ago if anyone cares to check out that recipe.

That sounds counter productive. I thought the point of panko was to have a crispy coating.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Meatloaf is such a versatile dish. Flavorings can very from the standard salt, pepper, garlic, and onion, with some type of starchy binder and egg to hold it all together, to a combination of various ground meats, such as lamb, pork, beef, chicken, turkey, or whatever you want, with Tex/mex seasonings, or Italian seasonings, Asian, Indian, etc. And, any meatball recipe you enjoy can be modified into a meatloaf, and vice-versa. I've made meatloaf in loaf pans, in the shape of volcanoes, complete with a "crater" on top to hold the appropriate sauce for the presentation, in the form of thick patties to go on a bun or with other sides. I've even turned meatloaf recipes into tubular shapes like sausages.

Don't limit yourself to any one recipe, or shape. Take that meatloaf and become an artist with it. Mold it , shape it, change its texture, its flavor, its presentation.

Tip, I have learned from DC to add a bit of milk to my meatloaf mixture, as it also acts to bind the meatloaf together, and help it stay moist. And don't add too much starch, as it will result in a mushy meatloaf. I had professionally made meatloaf that was so mushy, you couldn't hardly eat it. The people who made it added too many breadcrumbs to the loaf. Try different fillers. Use oatmeal one time, rolled barley the next, breadcrumbs on another occasion, and even farina, or cooked rice. They all create something just a little different, with each more suited to one type of meal.

For my Asian, chicken meatloaf, I add chopped onion, and peppers, some finely diced bok choy and celery, soy sauce, garlic, 5 spice powder, and ginger. It's great served up with sweet & sour sauce.

Now I ask you, where have you ever been that serves you an Asian inspired chicken meat loaf with sweet & sour sauce?

Use meatloaf as an item to teach yourself creativity, a place to teach yourself how to take the mundane, and make it spectacular.

That my friends, is passionate cooking. And that's what I am, maybe not a phenomenal cook, but at the very least, a passionate cook.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

That sounds counter productive. I thought the point of panko was to have a crispy coating.

I think the point of the Panko was merely as a substitute for the bread often used in meatloaf recipes, not as any kind of coating.

Myself, I prefer wheat bread in my own meatloaf recipe (my mom's recipe). I prefer the bread in lumps instead of evenly dispersed throughout the loaf.

For my Asian, chicken meatloaf, I add chopped onion, and peppers, some finely diced bok choy and celery, soy sauce, garlic, 5 spice powder, and ginger. It's great served up with sweet & sour sauce.

Have you posted or would you post the recipe? It sounds interesting and I'd love to try it.

 

[taxlady]

I think the point of the Panko was merely as a substitute for the bread often used in meatloaf recipes, not as any kind of coating.
...

Of course it isn't being a crispy coating, it's on the inside of the meatloaf. Why would you waste panko on that?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Of course it isn't being a crispy coating, it's on the inside of the meatloaf. Why would you waste panko on that?

Well I couldn't agree with you more. You're right that the point of using Panko is that the product is intended to produce crispy coatings. Otherwise it's just crispy bread crumbs and by the time it's ran through the food processor it's just dry bread powder. Sounds unappealing to me.

I would rather just take a few slices of whole wheat bread, perhaps remove the crusts, then cube them and throw them into the loaf mix, then mash it all up by hand. Lumpy style meatloaf.

 

[Zhizara]

That sounds counter productive. I thought the point of panko was to have a crispy coating.

I used some in salmon patties inside as well as outside. (I was out of breadcrumbs.) It stayed soft inside and was crunchy on the outside. It worked like soft breadcrumbs. Who knew?

 

[taxlady]

I used some in salmon patties inside as well as outside. (I was out of breadcrumbs.) It stayed soft inside and was crunchy on the outside. It worked like soft breadcrumbs. Who knew?

But I thought panko was a fair bit more expensive that bread crumbs. What the heck would I know? I make my own whole grain bread crumbs.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

If Panko is all that's in the cupboard...I rarely buy loaves of bread anymore, just can't use them fast enough. I do keep Panko and other bread crumbs on hand. Any leftover home baked bread is fair game for garlicky croutons.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

But I thought panko was a fair bit more expensive that bread crumbs. What the heck would I know? I make my own whole grain bread crumbs.

AFAIK Panko is more expensive than bread crumbs, and package bread crumbs are more expensive than bread itself, or making your own crumbs. In fact it's funny that crumbs are what you have left over after the good bread is gone.

If Panko is all that's in the cupboard...I rarely buy loaves of bread anymore, just can't use them fast enough. I do keep Panko and other bread crumbs on hand. Any leftover home baked bread is fair game for garlicky croutons.

Or when the good bread is getting old. I too make my own croutons out of almost any bread, particularly my home baked focaccia. I just cube it, toss it in garlic butter, then toss the result in grated Parmesan cheese and Italian type spices (S & P to taste), then lightly bake them just enough to drive the moisture out.

I buy Panko as a frying mix. Or Progresso Italian crumbs for my Chicken Parmesan.

 

[Addie]

Because they don't sell bread by the slice, and I don't eat it very often, I buy a loaf, use what I need, then cube the rest or break it down to bread crumbs in the FP. The bread crumbs go into the freezer and the croutons go into the oven seasoned and then the freezer. I can't remember the last time I bought breadcrumbs.

 

[Zhizara]

I don't use much breadcrumbs, so I'm used to having some on hand. Leftover bread gets cubed and used as filler for meatloaf.

Other fillers I use are leftover cornbread, stuffing mix, and seasoned croutons.

I'd probably use oatmeal, but the last time I tried it I guess I used too much, and didn't like the meatloaf, so I've never tried it again.

In case of the salmon patties, I used a little of the Panko because I was out of the seasoned breadcrumbs I normally keep on hand.

I liked that the Panko was unseasoned. If you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't have tasted it. I also didn't use egg to bind because it would have overpowered the salmon flavor. I used just enough mayo to hold the patties together.

I made the patties and dredged them in 1/2 chicken Shake n' Bake, 1/2 Panko (for a less salty taste). They were the most delicious and crunchy patties ever.

 

[tinlizzie]

I did a quick Google for that show segment. Ina's guest was Kevin Penner from 1770 House, his restaurant. They did indeed grind the panko and added milk, which he said togeher keep the loaf moist. Also added eggs. And something I've never done, which is to saute the onions before adding. I've always used the old Quaker Oats recipe, mostly from habit.

Chief Longwind's enthusiastic post makes me want to drop everything and go create a meatloaf. Thanks, Chief!