Meatloaf, no, not the one on Celebrity Apprentice

Individual meatloaf with a well formed in the top to hold gravy and whipped potatoes

There is nothing I like more than a good meatloaf. It's of my favorite comfort foods. The problem has always been that I have never had a real recipe. it's always been a little of this and a little of that… it's usually not the same  from one time to the next.  So to fix that, I have been trying to really find the ingredients and methods I like the most from all the recipes I have tried to make mine more consistent. For a turkey meatloaf, I found that Ina Garten's simple recipe of sautéed onion, dried thyme, worcestershire sauce and tomato paste to be a winner. I have seen recipes for meatloaf with 20 ingredients or more.  They are complex and silly, over done and unappealing. I like simplicity  and Ina's basic recipe is  even a great carry over for a beef meatloaf.  The only additions I make are tons of fresh garlic and to spice mine up just a bit, I roast a large red bell pepper over a gas flame;  peel and dice it up and add it to the mix. Then of course you have the usually additions: a bit of bread crumbs and a egg or two and salt and pepper. I never really measure anything, just play it by ear and by eye. To be sure that I have the seasoning just right, I usually sear off a small piece to taste. Once I know its perfect, i free form shape the loaf on a sheet tray, slather on a glaze of brown mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and… well, whatever looks right at the time and then bake it. 


I always make at least double of what I need. There are few left overs that I like. I am not a big fan of day or two leftovers. But with meatloaf, I make it more for the cold leftover meatloaf sandwiches on the following day than I make it for the meal the night its fresh and warm.