Thursday, August 30, 2012

Mama's Marvelous Meatloaf


I've noticed that my recipe posts are, by far, the most popular, so here's another for y'all. This one is a big hit around here, and I think it's one of my favorites. There's just something about meatloaf that makes me happy. If you're wondering about the name, just know that my kids are big fans of alliteration...

Mama's Marvelous Meatloaf

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 pounds ground pork
  • 4 stale hot dog buns (or any other bread)
  • 1 whole onion
  • 3 stalks of celery
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 egg
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Dried summer savory
  • Dried parsley
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Put ground beef and ground pork in a very large bowl.
  3. Puree the onion, celery, and garlic in a food processor. Dump into bowl with meat.
  4. Process hot dog buns in the food processor until you have crumbs. Dump crumbs in with meat and veggies. (I use hot dog buns because I always have a few extras in the pantry, feel free to use whatever bread you have on hand.)
  5. Add about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
  6. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs to taste.
  7. Add egg and mix with your hands until everything is well combined.
  8. Shape into two large loaves and place on your broiler pan (this allows the grease to drip through, away from your meatloaves.)
  9. Bake for about an hour and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.

    Here it is with some mashed potatoes and onion gravy, green beans, and homemade dinner rolls

This will make a LOT of meatloaf. It's enough for 12 people (or 6 people twice, which is the way we do it) with leftovers. It also holds together very well when you cut it, so it's great for meatloaf sandwiches for lunch the next day.
 I often sneak other veggies in this. Grated squash or carrots are good, but any veggies (grated or finely chopped) will work. I've added up to a cup more veggies without having to add more breadcrumbs or egg.
This recipe also makes great meatballs with just a few substitutions. Replace the summer savory with basil, and add a bit more garlic, roll them up into 2 inch balls and bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, and they are great with spaghetti.
Have a great weekend everyone. Blessed Be...

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