Meatloaf

This recipe is an interesting take on meatloaf, a little peppier than your typical meat-and-breadcrumbs fare. It also manages to hide a surprising number of vegetables. It was a hit when I made it at my house, and served it alongside the Roasted Butternut Squash that I posted a few recipes back.


Meatloaf
Adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats

For the meatloaf:
6 oz panko bread crumbs (if you can't find panko, regular bread crumbs will do)
1/2 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
5 whole cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 red bell pepper
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb ground sirloin
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs

For the glaze:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Large dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 

In a food processor, combine panko, basil, garlic powder, black pepper, ancho chili, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl.

Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the salt. Add the eggs and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, spray it with non-stick cooking spray, then turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 155 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Taste the glaze, and adjust ingredient amounts accordingly (more hot sauce if you like your glaze with a little more kick, more honey and ketchup if it seems too spicy). When the meatloaf has been baking for 15-20 minutes, remove it briefly from the oven and brush the glaze over all surfaces of meatloaf. Return meatloaf to oven to continue cooking for the rest of its allotted time.

Allow meatloaf to rest for approx. 10 minutes after removal from oven before serving. 

Serves 8-10.