Sunday, November 7, 2010

Perfect Meatloaf

I don't normally praise the Food Network, but there a few shows I like to watch. Good Eats is one for sure, reason is because Alton Brown knows food and also knows how it should be prepared. Sometimes he does come off as being a little anal retentive, this does annoy me a lot, but his food is really good so its a fair trade off.

So today I decided to make one of my favorite comfort food meals. Meatloaf with roasted garlic cheesy smashed potatoes, and glazed carrots.

This is the Alton Brown recipe for meatloaf.






Good Eats Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 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 kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin,Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Make sure when you pack the meat mixture in the loaf pan that you really pack it tight. Make sure to eliminate any big air pockets. This will assure that that you can get a nice thick slice when plating.

1 comment:

Toyin O. said...

That is one yummy looking meat loaf, thnaks for sharing.