Ma, the Meatloaf!

Folks, I've not made a meatloaf in about twelve years so this was a long time coming.  I called a friend whose mom makes a killer meatloaf and wouldn't you know, she doesn't follow a recipe; it's all in her head.  Isn't that always the case with the best tasting of foods?! ; )

Well, I combined what I'd heard from her with what I read on a Creole Meatloaf at Deep South Dish blog and gave it a go.  The meatloaf was moist, not greasy, and so tasty.  It may be a sin against the trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), but Big Sissy requests that I remove the bell pepper the next time I try this.  Other than that, this recipe got rave reviews.

If you're tempted to give it a try, see this recipe and give Ms. Mary a big thank you for sharing it on her blog.

Creole Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish 
1-1/2 pounds of very lean ground beef*
1 tablespoon of butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup of green bell pepper, chopped fine
1 stalk of celery, chopped fine
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of canola oil
2 tablespoons of flour (for the roux)
1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 can of water
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1 egg
1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 turns of the pepper grinder
Pinch of cayenne
Flour, for coating
1 tablespoon of canola oil, for browning

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the ground beef in a large bowl; set aside.

Heat the butter over medium and cook the onion, bell pepper and celery until tender; add the garlic, cook for another minute, transfer to a plate to cool.

Wipe out the skillet, and add the 1/4 cup of canola oil.  Heat over medium high heat and stir in the flour.  Cook and stir until it is browned, remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire and return to the heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Whisk together the milk and egg; stir in the bread crumbs and add that mixture to the ground beef. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne and cooked veggies; mix gently and shape into a loaf. The mixture should be firm. If it is breaking apart, return to the bowl and additional bread crumbs until it holds together. 

In a large, oven safe skillet, heat the tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Carefully transfer the meatloaf to the skillet and sear on all sides, turning carefully. Pat any cracks that form back together. Note: You can skip the searing process if you prefer.  Once all sides have browned, pour the tomato gravy over the meatloaf and transfer the entire skillet to a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour, basting occasionally.

When an instant read thermometer reads 180 degrees the meatloaf is done.  Allow to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.  Serve slices with a bit of the tomato gravy spooned over the top.

"*Important:  You must use an extra lean ground beef for this recipe, so don't be tempted to try a higher fat ground beef because it just won't hold together for the searing process. One reader also substituted ground turkey and had that issue as well. If you prefer to use either a ground turkey or a fattier ground beef, omit the searing process."

That Ms. Mary sure is a genius when it comes to southern fare.  Enjoy.

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