Meatloaf

Over at Unfogged the discussion thread to this post mentions meatloaf several times.

I make a mean meatloaf. It's seriously good stuff. I'm always surprised, though, when people turn their nose up at the mere mention of meatloaf. Clearly, they've been served a greasy flavorless lump sometime in their past. Here's how to make a good meatloaf:

1 lb. ground turkey*
1 med. onion, chopped
1 egg
1 packet Lipton's Onion Soup mix
1/2 cup (more or less to taste) Heinz 57 sauce
1/2 cup+ breadcrumbs (I like to use seasoned)
Ketchup

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix egg, onion, soup mix and 57 sauce in a bowl. Plop ground turkey in and mix well. I find the only really effective way to do this is to use your hands. Ew, I know, but one must sacrifice for a good meatloaf. Once it's all mixed up, add the breadcrumbs. Add enough that the mixture will hold a loaf form.

Instead of using a loaf pan for cooking, I use a silicon jumbo cupcake pan. Individual loafs not only look nifty on a plate, it ensures that the meat will cook evenly. Fill each cup about 3/4 full with the meatloaf mixture. Squiggle ketchup onto each mini loaf. Bake for around 45 minutes.

I serve with green beans and roasted red potatoes (I quarter the potatoes, toss with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt).

*Using the ground turkey means that the meatloaf is virtually greaseless but, if you must use ground beef, try half turkey, half beef. If you insist upon only using ground beef use one that's at least 90/10 in terms of fat content. Less is preferable. To help soak up the grease, line the bottom of the pan with one or two pieces of bread. The bread will absorb the grease. Be sure to cut the bread off the pieces before serving. No one wants to eat straight fat.