Meatloaf from The Barefoot Contessa
I enjoy watching Ina Garten cook. She's so deft and experienced. And calm. Completely and utterly calm. I used to watch her and idly wish that just once, she'd fumble something or say, damn maybe. The thought that this is her professional persona and in actuality she goes around swearing like a pirate amuses me.
Anyway...meatloaf! My family enjoys it and it's one of those easy and satisfying meals to make. The problem is, though I have made meatloaf many times, I never really standardized my recipe for it. I don't think I ever made a bad meatloaf but there have been a few lackluster ones. It makes sense to find a recipe developed by a cook whose recipe has to turn out the same good dish every single time; even a humble recipe such as this.
I usually buy my ground beef from Costco and since it comes in such quantities, I prefer to cook it all at once. So I took out the two pounds required for the recipe (on the left) and browned the rest in the microwave (casserole on the right). The browned meat gets cooled, drained and packed into quart-size Ziploc bags for storage in the freezer. If you flatten the bag and get all the air out, they will stack easily and, when you need them for things like chili or spaghetti sauce, they will also thaw more efficiently.
Today's cast of characters. I didn't have fresh thyme so I substituted dried in the approximate amount of half a teaspoon.
I also used a bit less onion than the recipe called for because someone small was getting impatient and pulling on my leg. The chopped onion got cooked with olive oil, salt, pepper and the thyme until the onions were translucent.
Once the pan was taken off the heat, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste were added. I really love this paste in a tube; I don't use tomato paste a lot, nor do I use much of it when I open the can. This ensures that I get just the right amount and the rest goes in the fridge.
Plain bread crumbs, the eggs and the onion mixture were added to the meat. This part is really important: there is a tendency to really smash everything together when mixing. This makes a meatloaf that is dense and sometimes tough. If you prefer your meatloaf compacted, well, smash away! If you would like a lighter texture, for lack of a better term, gently toss everything together (I like to use my hands).
If you are baking right away, you shape it into a loaf and pop it into the oven. If you want to put it in the fridge for later that evening, plop the mixture into a gallon-size Ziploc and let the bag help you to form a roll--still being gentle here! Refrigerate until you are ready to cook it for dinner.
Line a baking tray with parchment and gently roll your loaf out of the Ziploc bag. It should be perfectly shaped and ready to bake! You definitely want to use a rimmed pan rather than a cookie sheet; a fair amount of liquid is released when the loaf bakes.
I'm not a fan of ketchup over the meatloaf but...Ina said so.
I put it in for 70 minutes at 325 but it wouldn't have hurt to do 5-10 minutes more. The very center would be a little too pink for some people. Not us, but we're barbarians.
The meat was tender and well-seasoned throughout. The guys gave it a thumb's up and I gave it a 5 turtle rating. It'll be nice to have a go-to recipe for a favorite family dish!
Here is the promised link:
Ina's meatloaf
Equipment recommendation:
Nordic ware
I like their bake ware and their sheet pans are super versatile. I used a quarter sheet size for this recipe.
Anyway...meatloaf! My family enjoys it and it's one of those easy and satisfying meals to make. The problem is, though I have made meatloaf many times, I never really standardized my recipe for it. I don't think I ever made a bad meatloaf but there have been a few lackluster ones. It makes sense to find a recipe developed by a cook whose recipe has to turn out the same good dish every single time; even a humble recipe such as this.
I usually buy my ground beef from Costco and since it comes in such quantities, I prefer to cook it all at once. So I took out the two pounds required for the recipe (on the left) and browned the rest in the microwave (casserole on the right). The browned meat gets cooled, drained and packed into quart-size Ziploc bags for storage in the freezer. If you flatten the bag and get all the air out, they will stack easily and, when you need them for things like chili or spaghetti sauce, they will also thaw more efficiently.
Today's cast of characters. I didn't have fresh thyme so I substituted dried in the approximate amount of half a teaspoon.
I also used a bit less onion than the recipe called for because someone small was getting impatient and pulling on my leg. The chopped onion got cooked with olive oil, salt, pepper and the thyme until the onions were translucent.
Once the pan was taken off the heat, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste were added. I really love this paste in a tube; I don't use tomato paste a lot, nor do I use much of it when I open the can. This ensures that I get just the right amount and the rest goes in the fridge.
Plain bread crumbs, the eggs and the onion mixture were added to the meat. This part is really important: there is a tendency to really smash everything together when mixing. This makes a meatloaf that is dense and sometimes tough. If you prefer your meatloaf compacted, well, smash away! If you would like a lighter texture, for lack of a better term, gently toss everything together (I like to use my hands).
If you are baking right away, you shape it into a loaf and pop it into the oven. If you want to put it in the fridge for later that evening, plop the mixture into a gallon-size Ziploc and let the bag help you to form a roll--still being gentle here! Refrigerate until you are ready to cook it for dinner.
Line a baking tray with parchment and gently roll your loaf out of the Ziploc bag. It should be perfectly shaped and ready to bake! You definitely want to use a rimmed pan rather than a cookie sheet; a fair amount of liquid is released when the loaf bakes.
I'm not a fan of ketchup over the meatloaf but...Ina said so.
I put it in for 70 minutes at 325 but it wouldn't have hurt to do 5-10 minutes more. The very center would be a little too pink for some people. Not us, but we're barbarians.
The meat was tender and well-seasoned throughout. The guys gave it a thumb's up and I gave it a 5 turtle rating. It'll be nice to have a go-to recipe for a favorite family dish!
Here is the promised link:
Ina's meatloaf
Equipment recommendation:
Nordic ware
I like their bake ware and their sheet pans are super versatile. I used a quarter sheet size for this recipe.
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