We love meatloaf for dinner. It almost sounds silly to say, but it is not your typical meatloaf. First it is packed with vegetables. I use a healthy amount of carrots, onion, bell peppers, and garlic to make this meatloaf very special. I actually made this just last night for wonderful friends who just welcomed their very special baby girl into the world. That little lady makes me want another baby…like now.
Okay, back to meatloaf. Another reason mine is somewhat unusual is that I don’t cook it in one big loaf. My husband and I both love the crusty ends, so I make 6 to 7 mini meatloafs…so everyone gets an “end” piece. It also makes it easy to pack up leftovers for lunch.
Finally, following Alton Brown’s brilliant advice, I sprinkle a little cumin in the tomato sauce for the glaze. It makes a huge difference.
Recipe: Individual Meatloafs (inspired by Alton Brown)
Serves 6
Ingredients for the Meatloaf
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 bell pepper
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup ketchup
Ingredients for the Glaze
1 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon cumin
a few dashes of hot sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin
a few dashes of hot sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon
brown sugar
brown sugar
Directions
Heat oven to 325
degrees F.
degrees F.
Combine the
onion, carrot, garlic, and bell pepper in a food processor bowl. Pulse until
the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Sautee the vegetables in the olive oil until
the onion is translucent. Turn off the
heat, and stir in the ¼ cup of ketchup.
Let it cool.
onion, carrot, garlic, and bell pepper in a food processor bowl. Pulse until
the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Sautee the vegetables in the olive oil until
the onion is translucent. Turn off the
heat, and stir in the ¼ cup of ketchup.
Let it cool.
Combine the vegetable
mixture, ground sirloin, ground chuck, and the bread crumbs in a bowl. Season
the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but try
to avoid squeezing the meat.
mixture, ground sirloin, ground chuck, and the bread crumbs in a bowl. Season
the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but try
to avoid squeezing the meat.
Form small 4-inch
loafs, and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes (this is NOT the full cooking time). Combine
the ketchup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, brown sugar, and
honey. Brush the glaze onto each meatloaf.
loafs, and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes (this is NOT the full cooking time). Combine
the ketchup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, brown sugar, and
honey. Brush the glaze onto each meatloaf.
Place the
meatloafs back into the oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature
is 155 degrees.
meatloafs back into the oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature
is 155 degrees.
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