My meatloaf dilemma....

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I just bought a house and now I'm so poor that I can't even afford to pay attention.

Anyway, of course it's fewer words! Can you imagine somebody saying what you said with more words? :LOL:

You're a funny guy.:LOL: Remind me to send you some great recipes, altered. Moohuahahaha.:devilish: Have you ever tried cream of tartar in your chocolate milk? It's really good. :ROFLMAO: And by the way, I was glad you posted what you did. I just wanted someone to understand the whole idea that freezing a set amount of food, with water in it, does not change the amount of water in the food. I just gave other tips as well, to try and give everyone an understanding of how the ingredients all worked together.

About being without pocket cash, I just had to purchase a enw car battery, get a new drive belt installed, and get my windshield repaired. And DW called me today to inform me that my roof is leaking. (heavy sigh). I'm so broke I can't afford a free meal.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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For that Tomato taste try Salsa instead of ketchup next time. Also, half full the meatloaf pan, make a trench in the middle of the meat mixture and add your favorite cheese (I use Cheddar). Cover with the rest of your meat mixture. I then place a Couple strips of bacon on top. Cook and Wa-La!
A no crumble meatloaf!
 
For that Tomato taste try Salsa instead of ketchup next time. Also, half full the meatloaf pan, make a trench in the middle of the meat mixture and add your favorite cheese (I use Cheddar). Cover with the rest of your meat mixture. I then place a Couple strips of bacon on top. Cook and Wa-La!
A no crumble meatloaf!

Welcome to DC! This sounds like a great idea, thanks!
 
I thought I'd come back and let everyone know that I made meatloaf yesterday and it stayed together and sliced nicely. I used my same recipe, 85% gr beef, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, bread crumbs and ketchup. This time I bought the meat freshly ground in the morning instead of using frozen meat. I put it in a loaf pan and packed it really tight then turned it out onto my baking pan. I still put the potatoes around it with the tomato soup mixed into them. Baked it for 30 minutes with foil over it, then removed the foil and baked it for another hour. I put it on a plate and let it sit for 20 minutes or so while I prepared some veggies. It sliced down very nicely. I really noticed the difference in the texture after packing it down in the loaf pan. The leftovers will make great sandwiches for my son-in-law's lunch.
 
Well I am still meatloaf impaired. So I will never make it again. I gave up a long time ago.

Now I buy the Banquet, Hungry Man or whatever is on sale in the freezer department. If I want a good one with plenty of gravy for the mashed potatoes, I go eat out in a restaurant. If it is on the menu, I will order it. My only complaint is they always served me too much. One slice with one scoop of potatoes and plenty of gravy. It is all I need to make me happy.

My daughter is planning a big party for me next March for my 75th birthday. She asked me my favorite meal. Meatloaf! "Ma, I can't feed that to all those people." So too make her happy, I suggested her favorite food. Lobster. Only I did make it cheaper than one lobster for each person. I suggested a Lobster Roll for each person with a Chefs Salad on the side. One lobster can feed three people when in a roll. She is thinking a big meal, I am thinking of plenty of appetizers served buffet style. If I had my way, there would be no party or if it has to be, make it peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In lieu gifts I am going to ask that each person bring one can good or food for the church's food bank. If I get any cash, I will give part of it to the food bank. I don't want any more dust collectors. :angel:
 
Well I am still meatloaf impaired. So I will never make it again. I gave up a long time ago.

Now I buy the Banquet, Hungry Man or whatever is on sale in the freezer department. If I want a good one with plenty of gravy for the mashed potatoes, I go eat out in a restaurant. If it is on the menu, I will order it. My only complaint is they always served me too much. One slice with one scoop of potatoes and plenty of gravy. It is all I need to make me happy.

There is only one restaurant in our area that has meatloaf on the menu and DH doesn't like theirs. It has chunks of carrot and red and green peppers in it and he doesn't like that. I imagine it would be hard to make meatloaf for one. Some people make little meat loaves by putting the meat mixture in muffin tins. They bake a lot faster. I think you could make them and then freeze the extras. Since you have a restaurant that has meatloaf that you like, then that works too. You could bring the extra home for the next day. Occasionally I make a very small meatloaf since it's just the two of us, but my step daughter appreciates getting my leftovers.
 
Well I am still meatloaf impaired. So I will never make it again. I gave up a long time ago.

Now I buy the Banquet, Hungry Man or whatever is on sale in the freezer department. If I want a good one with plenty of gravy for the mashed potatoes, I go eat out in a restaurant. If it is on the menu, I will order it. My only complaint is they always served me too much. One slice with one scoop of potatoes and plenty of gravy. It is all I need to make me happy.

My daughter is planning a big party for me next March for my 75th birthday. She asked me my favorite meal. Meatloaf! "Ma, I can't feed that to all those people." So too make her happy, I suggested her favorite food. Lobster. Only I did make it cheaper than one lobster for each person. I suggested a Lobster Roll for each person with a Chefs Salad on the side. One lobster can feed three people when in a roll. She is thinking a big meal, I am thinking of plenty of appetizers served buffet style. If I had my way, there would be no party or if it has to be, make it peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In lieu gifts I am going to ask that each person bring one can good or food for the church's food bank. If I get any cash, I will give part of it to the food bank. I don't want any more dust collectors. :angel:[/QUOTE

I wouldn't worry too much about being "meatloaf impaired." I once saw Emerill LaGasse do a show with meatloaf. It fell apart when he tried to plate the whole loaf. He just sort of smashed it back together and went on as if nothing had happened. It happens to us all.
 
I love it when the powers that be decide to show the partial failures of the TV chefs. It lets the rest of us know that we are not alone in our kitchens.

In this part of the country, we have The Cheesecake Factory Their menu is like reading a book. Page after page to select from. They make the best meatloaf going. Plenty of gravy and heaps of mashed potatoes. My g'daughter just got hired there. She just spent a week in training. They had to taste all the foods and learn the menu. Real proper training.

The second place for me to get meatloaf is up by Boxford/Georgetown. There is a diner called "Wigwam" and when you order meatloaf it is like Mom used to make. All their pies are made on site as are all their deserts. It is a small place and always a line outside the door. Even in the bitter cold of winter. Don't even try to get in on Sunday morning after church. My sister and I used to go there all the time, but only around 3 p.m.

Meatloaf. Such a basic American dish, and yet so varied no matter where you go. :angel:
 
I've made meatloaf just to have the ingredient to make meatloaf sandwiches for future lunches! :)

It's amazing how good meatloaf sandwiches are!

On that note, DW and I are hitting the road today to visit P.A.G., Sprout, and out two grandaughters, and of course the husbands as well. Last night I broke out a lb. of ground beef, and make a quarter pounder for each of us. I wanted meat loaf sandwiches for me, for the drive, and DW wanted PBJ's. So I took the remaining half-pound of ground beef, and treated it like this:

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried Oregano
1 tsp. dried Basil
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
1/4 tsp. graniuated onion
2 tbs. milk

Stir all ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
IN a small bowl, combine 2 tbs each - Lee & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce, ketchup, A1 Steak Sauce. Pour half of this mixture into a mini loaf pan. Distribute this sauce evenly over the bottom and sides of the pan. Press in the meatloaf mixture. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Place in convection oven at 375' F. and bake for 35 minutes. When done, remove and let cool. Wrap and refrigerate.

This made enough meatloaf for four large servings, or two nice sandwiches (which is what I did with it), and a good leftover chunk to taste it.

This mini meatloaf came out firm, moist, and with a great flavor. The sauce was spot-on. I am very happy with the results. There was no pool of fat in the pan, or congealed fat surrounding the loaf when I took it out to slice it this morning.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can change up the herbs and spices to whatever suits your fancy. Add pepper, soy, ginger, and 5 spice instead of the basil and oregano, and you have an Asian flavor profile. Change up with cumin, coriander, peppers, and chili powder for a Tex/Mex flavor. Simply add salt and pepper, then cover with gravy for a true American Meatloaf. Add grated Parmigiano Regiano if you want. This is a very versatile recipe. And if you don't need a full meatloaf, it really gives you a nice sized loaf for two people.

Enjoy.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I love it when the powers that be decide to show the partial failures of the TV chefs. It lets the rest of us know that we are not alone in our kitchens.

In this part of the country, we have The Cheesecake Factory Their menu is like reading a book. Page after page to select from. They make the best meatloaf going. Plenty of gravy and heaps of mashed potatoes. My g'daughter just got hired there. She just spent a week in training. They had to taste all the foods and learn the menu. Real proper training.

The second place for me to get meatloaf is up by Boxford/Georgetown. There is a diner called "Wigwam" and when you order meatloaf it is like Mom used to make. All their pies are made on site as are all their deserts. It is a small place and always a line outside the door. Even in the bitter cold of winter. Don't even try to get in on Sunday morning after church. My sister and I used to go there all the time, but only around 3 p.m.

Meatloaf. Such a basic American dish, and yet so varied no matter where you go. :angel:

We no longer have any diners in our area. Diners have such great food, and they always have meatloaf. When we moved here 35 years ago there was a great diner 2 miles away. It was always crowded. A few years later it changed hands, and they decided to add on and make it a regular brick and mortar restaurant. It went down hill after than and is now closed. Someone else tried to run a restaurant there and it also closed. The people in this area wanted the diner. Now even the building is gone.

We don't put gravy on our meatloaf. My husband doesn't like gravy. LOL Is anyone surprised? He eats his plain. I either put ketchup on mine or I slice up some tomatoes and have a piece of tomato with each bite of meatloaf. I cut up potatoes and mix them with tomato soup straight from the can, and put them around the meatloaf. I bake it covered for 1/2 hour and then uncover the meatloaf only for the rest of the cooking time. I did this once and he liked it so it's been that way ever since. Once you find something he will eat, you don't EVER change it! LOL

Hearing about the gravy is making me hungry for a hot meatloaf sandwich with gravy over it. I think I might order that out next time.
 
Chief Longwind,

I like your mini meatloaf recipe and have copied it to my recipe file. I usually make a large meatloaf so I have some to give my step-daughter. Her husband likes to take meatloaf for his lunch, but they rarely have it because their oven does not work. My husband used to take meatloaf sandwiches for lunch when he worked, but after 35 years of eating sandwiches every day he never wants to eat another sandwich. I think he's missing out on a lot of good food, but it's his choice. If I need something quick for dinner I could make a mini loaf just for us.

I also like your sauce you made with it. When I make my meatloaf with the potatoes mixed with tomato soup, I could make that sauce instead when I find myself without a can of tomato soup in the house. I will just increase the quantity to cover the potatoes. We might even like it better than the tomato soup.
 
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I really need help!

Every time I have ever made a meatloaf in my life, the thing falls apart when I go to slice it. I let it sit for 10-15 min. or whatever, same result. Tons of different recipes, same result.

Everything I have ever heard has said not to overmix the loaf, but I think maybe I'm undermixing? How much do you mix a meatloaf? Should I do it by hand or with my stand mixer?

This is the recipe I like. The flavor is good, but the dang thing falls apart. I'd like to try it again tonight, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks! ;)

  • 1 cup of finely chopped onion
  • 1 celery rib, chopped fine
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 carrot, chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped scallion (can substitute onion)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp salt (use 1 1/2 teas if using Italian sausage)
  • 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tsp Worscestershire sauce
  • 2/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 1/2 pounds of ground chuck
  • 3/4 pound of spicy ground pork sausage* (or use Italian sausage - 1 sweet, 1 hot)
  • 1 cup milk
    (*) 4 slices white bread
  • 2 large eggs, beaten slightly
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 In a large heavy skillet cook the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and scallion in butter, over moderate heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Cover and stir occasionally until the carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes. Stir in salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/3 a cup of ketchup. Cook for 1 more minute.
3 In a large bowl, combine the meats, vegetables, and parsley. In another bowl beat the eggs, then add the milk and bread. With your hand, break the soaking bread into very small pieces. Add bread mixture to meat mixture and toss with your hands until completely mixed together. Form into a loaf and put into a rectangular baking pan with 2 inch high sides. Cover loaf with remaining ketchup.
4 Bake meat loaf in oven for 1 hour.

Hi!
I'm new here but have been cooking professionally for well over 40 years. I've owned several restaurants and now do consulting. I LOVE meatloaf. What brought me here was that the last time I made it, it cracked a bit so I was looking for tips....ALWAYS learning!
As far as your issue:
The best binding agent (what holds it together) for meatloaf in my many years of cooking and research is white bread soaked in milk.

I made adjustments to your recipe above. Feel free to try!
James
 
Hi!
I'm new here but have been cooking professionally for well over 40 years. ....
....
The best binding agent (what holds it together) for meatloaf in my many years of cooking and research is white bread soaked in milk.

I made adjustments to your recipe above. Feel free to try!
James

Hi Chefjames1960, Welcome to DC!

I too, use this method and love it, softest most tender meatballs and meatloaf possible.

Thank you for reviving this thread, has been a fantastic read!
 
Hi!
I'm new here but have been cooking professionally for well over 40 years. I've owned several restaurants and now do consulting. I LOVE meatloaf. What brought me here was that the last time I made it, it cracked a bit so I was looking for tips....ALWAYS learning!
As far as your issue:
The best binding agent (what holds it together) for meatloaf in my many years of cooking and research is white bread soaked in milk.

I made adjustments to your recipe above. Feel free to try!
James

Welcome to the forum James.
 
I'd give the tires off my bicycle for this meatloaf recipe:
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