I just realized something. Judging by the recipes I post, you might think I cook from Barefoot Contessa cookbooks exclusively! And in fact, that wouldn't be so far from the truth, but I certainly do dip in to the multitude of other books that fill (er, crowd?) my shelves. What can I say, Ina never disappoints and there's something to be said about consistency. The key to this recipe is the inclusion of slowly cooked onions that add both moisture and a bit of sweetness.
I was longing for a good old fashioned meatloaf not long ago and decided to whip this up with the help of O's decadent mashed potatoes. I splurged and used some fancy Pat LaFrieda ground beef this time around and boy was it was fresh - I don't think I've encountered ground chuck as red or luxurious before. I can't wait to make burgers this summer!
Part of my undying love for meatloaf lies in its uncanny ability to morph into even more delicious leftovers in the ensuing days. O and I dug into a crazy good patty melt-style sandwich made with leftover meatloaf topped with melted Port Salut cheese on toasted crunchy white bread that was slathered in mayo and mustard. Please try it with a nice cold beer, nothing fancy though! In fact, I like Bud Light with this. :)
By the way, if you don't care for beef, Barefoot Contessa also has a wildly popular (surprise, surprise)
turkey version of her meatloaf as well.
Meat Loaf
Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa
Serves 6
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2½ pounds ground chuck (81% lean)
½ cup plain dry bread crumbs, such as Progresso
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup, preferably Heinz
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don’t mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.
Read more...
