Mixed my meatloaf a new way (for me) - really good

[fadedrose]

It was about 2-1/2 lbs. ground round, it baked beautifully and didn't split anywhere.

I found that adding one beaten egg per pound (I used two) with a tablespoon or so of water - added to the meat mixture last will prevent the meatloaf from cracking...

I put 4-5 slices of fresh white bread in the food chopper, added a big bunch of fresh parsley and chopped it fine. Then added less than a teasp. salt, some pepper, and a nice thick slice of medium onion, and chopped again. Added this to the raw meat and mixed well, adding about 2 tabs. water....It made a beautiful uniform mix with no lumps of anything...

Then add the eggs last. It turned out so well for me that I'll do it this way all the time...

baked it at 325 for a little over 1-1/2 hours.

If you have a good way of making meatloaf, please give me your recipe. Every couple of years, you have to change things around so you don't get tired of the taste....

[Phentex]

1. I use egg but I mix by hand...

I dump everything into a bowl and mix. Then I just press it into a glass baking dish. I don't have a real recipe. I just use what I feel like at the time.

I've never had lumps or cracking. I wonder what the water does?

[fadedrose]

2. Don't know

THe reason I don't like a glass baking dish is that you can't make gravy. I form it into long loaf and fit it into a 12" skillet. Everybody always asks for gravy....

I transfer it to another pan, pour off excess grease, and make a good brown gravy.. yum....

What's in the everything you dump into a bowl?

[pinto]

3. I use 2/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground pork. Top with a a good coat of ketchup/red wine vinegar.

Pork helps keep the loaf moist, the coating browns well.

[Little Star]

14. I like this suggestion. I bet it adds some xtra flavor too.

[morningglory]

20. We dump salsa on the top. It's good, too. nt

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I do the hand mix, less dishes to wash

about 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, leanish
about 3/4 sleeve unsalted soda crackers, crushed fine
about 1/4 cup ketchup
1 egg
small glug of milk
squooge of mustard
tablespoon of mayo
garlic powder
onion minced
salt
pepper
pinch of knox gelatin powder

Everything goes into the bowl (except the hamburger) mix well and let stand for a few minutes so the crackers are all soft. add hamburger and gelatin ( a TINY pinch. it keeps the juices from escaping and making it dry). mix well, into a loaf pan at 350ish for a little over an hour, top with cream of mushroom soup straight from the can. when the soup is bubbly and hot it's done, total of about an hour and a half.

[shanti]

5. ziploc bags

great for so many things, but also for mixing meatloaf. no dishes to wash and no greasy hands! i've always put an egg in my meatloaf, makes it moister. another trick is mashing up some tofu and adding it to the recipe. it blends right into the ground meat and seriously, you cannot taste it. i've been wanting to try adding ground flax seeds also.

[fadedrose]

6. Something you made me think of...produce bags on a roll..

Anytime I buy produce, I grab 2 or 3 of the plastic bags on the rolls set up by the fruit and vegetables.

These bags are terrific for making southern fried chicken, or coating anything - and they are waterproof. I use them to double wrap large loaves of bread that go into the freezer, or large meat items like ground meat, roasts or turkey. Slice a watermelon into 4 long quarters and these plastic bags are nifty for storing the quarters till you need them.. also good for packs of cookies that don't seal well.

I seal mine with scotch tape, and it holds....even in the freezer.

Grab a few everytime you go...

[freshwest]

12. Thanks for that information, hadn't thought of that.

I usually reuse them to hold greens in the fridge or take them to be recycled. At least I hope they're recycling them...

But have reduced the number of them by using those netted bags for produce, too. Still, they are a good to have around at times.

[Lucinda]

13. I like this idea! :)

[freshwest]

7. Used to make one with zucchini, tomatoes, green chilies, onions, garlic, bread, etc...

The other was simpler with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and lot of ketchup on top and baked until it was covered in a rich red sauce. The first one, though, I also used for burgers.

[Denninmi]

8. I don't know about the mixing, but ...

... I really like the 'America's Test Kitchen' method of baking the meatloaf up on a platform of foil over a roasting pan or on a special pan with holes in it over a roasting pan so the drippings go away. It ends up with a really nice crust, and its not swimming in all of the grease. As long as you use the right ingredients, it doesn't dry it out. And, if so inclined, you can save the drippings, put them through a separator cup, and make gravy from them if you get enough.

I have a pan similar to this, and it works well sitting up above another pan to catch the drippings:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=pan+with+holes+for+pizza&hl=en&prmd=imvnse&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=677&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=903561939301318744&sa=X&ei=4OhfT-H9KcTl0QG9ysHZBw&ved=0CJMBEPMCMAA

Another 'Test Kitchen' trick - they put a package of unflavored gelatin, dissolved in a little milk or water, into the meatloaf mix. Helps it stay together, retains moisture, and creates a good "mouthfeel" as they say.

[NJCher]

11. around Christmas

They were advertising a meatloaf pan on TV--it was actually two pans, and one fit inside the other. That pan had holes in it for the juices and fat to drip into the other pan, the one that fit on the bottom. I think it was around $16-17, and I wanted one but wouldn't pay that much for something I'd use so seldom.

So the next day I stopped at a yard sale and there was a brand new one--got it for 50 cents.

I really like that Ziploc idea upthread, too. One thing I really hate about making meatloaf is cleaning the dish it's mixed in.

Lots of good ideas on this thread. I copied and pasted them into one file and called it "Meatloaf Tips." Thanks, everybody.


Cher

[Angry Dragon]

9. grated carrot

[Whisp]

10. I use a package of Stove Top stuffing in my meatloaf

on top I cut up a red pepper and then poured some ketchup on it.

we like it that way.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. Use crushed ice instead of the water

The crushed ice keeps the meat's fat firm during the mixing. Then, as it cooks, the ice turns to little pockets of steam "bombs" that help cook the meat and keep it moist.

To crack the ice, place a cube in your palm. Get a soup spoon and smack the ice with the bottom of it.

[Le Taz Hot]

16. In the 40 years I've been making meat loaf,

I can say that I've never made the same one twice. I'm one of those "throw in the refrigerator leftovers" meatloaf makers. It's kinda like soup only more solid.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. "It's kinda like soup only more solid."

I'm telling you right now. That line is STOLEN. I am going to use it a lot! Funniest throwaway I've seen in a looooong time!

Thanks!!!!

[Le Taz Hot]

18. . . .

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

19. This is a recipe I got from "The Farm" by Ian Knauer

Ingredients:
1 cupfine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
1/3 cupwhole milk
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoon sunsalted butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 pound bacon (about 4 slices), chopped
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground pork (not lean)
2 large eggs
1/3 cupfinely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl. Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low, then cook until carrot is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add to bread-crumb mixture.

Finely chop bacon and prunes in a food processor, then add to onion mixture along with beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix together with your hands.

Pack mixture into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish or pan.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatloaf registers 155°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I particularly like the ground up bacon. I start by chopping the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the food processor, and afterwards -- without cleaning the food processor -- the bacon and prunes. The last time I made it, I had no prunes, so I used dried apricots instead, which turned out well.