Meatloaf

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

In the States, ketchup is almost a necessity with meatloaf. Of course, I think that may be because there are so many awful recipes for meatloaf and the ketchup is an attempt to cover that up... the school meatloaf we had in elementary school was dyed pink. I swear. No amount of ketchup could make it taste good. It took me years to voluntarily eat ANY meatloaf at all.

I'm going to try Frances' recipe with the wine and cheese. It sounds yummy. Of course, we're looking at highs in the teens now by Friday, so I may have a retained heat challenge going! If I don't wimp out completely and make it all indoors... I just hate using my indoor oven if I don't have to. It takes FOREVER to heat. Always check your wattage when you buy an oven. I think my hair dryer is hotter.

[Frances]

Re: Meatloaf

My Mum NEVER makes meatloaf, I didn't even know what it was until I moved out from my parents' place. The reason was "you never know what they put in it"... Which doesn't really make any sense, because I know exactly what goes in my meatloaf.

But yeah, in a commercial setting it could contain virtually anything. That pink thing sounds really gross!

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

It was vile. I remember squashing it down as flat as I could in my tray-and carrying the tray past the teacher's table high enough (I thought) to keep her from seeing that I hadn't actually eaten it. I had a dragon for a teacher and she made us eat everything on our trays. At least until my mom found out and dealt with her. Go Mom!

[Archena]

Re: Meatloaf

Egalecki's results are not typical....

[dusty]

Re: Meatloaf

Fantastic! What a cool thread. I can't believe I hadn't thought of meatloaf. I am constantly thinking of something new to bake after pizza night and meatloaf is just so obvious!

Frances, as usual, your recipe looks delicious. The ones we make at our house are more of the ketchup-topped variety. Looking forward to trying your recipe.

For Christmas, I recieved some oven baking dishes. Two small personal sized lasagna dishes, a rectangular ceramic baking dish, a ceramic coated cast iron "dutch oven" looking thing, and a partridge in a pear tree.

I have used the small lasagna dishes for baking vegies. I will use the baking dish for enchiladas or something, but as for the dutch oven thing, by far the coolest looking of them all, I have no idea what to bake in there.

Any ideas?

dusty

PS. Good to see you back George.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Meatloaf

We use a mixture of meats....beef, pork and veal.....wonder how a Lamb meatloaf would be?....anyway, other key ingredeints include oatmeal soaked in red wine and the tomato paste.

A fun variation is to put whole boiled eggs in the loaf and have them in your slices.

We make a big batch and freeze a couple.

[Frances]

Re: Meatloaf

but as for the dutch oven thing, by far the coolest looking of them all, I have no idea what to bake in there.

Cook the partridge in it of course!

Seriously, those things are great for stews. Shove in virtually any combination of meat and veggies with some kind of (alcoholic) liquid, some seasoning and then simmer for an hour or three. Lovely with dumplings on top, too!

Or a large piece of roast meat. Or that recipe for no-knead bread.

Oatmeal in meat loaf? Hmm... sounds good, I'll have to try that.

[dmun]

Re: Meatloaf

and a partridge in a pear tree.

One time, in France, I actually saw a bunch of partridges in a pear tree. What were they doing? Eating the pears!

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

Hey Dusty- I cook beans and stews in my dutch oven. And pot roasts. I bet you could cook meatloaf in it too, come to think of it.

[dusty]

Re: Meatloaf

Hey Dusty- I cook beans and stews in my dutch oven. And pot roasts. I bet you could cook meatloaf in it too, come to think of it.

But in your oven?

I'm certain that it was given to me to use in my oven.

here's what it looks like.

dusty

[Archena]

Re: Meatloaf

But in your oven?

I'm certain that it was given to me to use in my oven.

here's what it looks like.

dusty

Hi Dusty,

Yup, that's a dutch oven and yes, you use it in the oven. Think of it as a primitive slow cooker. You can also use it on a campfire - which is what it was originally designed for (open fire cooking, that is). Either way, it cooks slowly and wonderfully.

Try it, you'll like it!

[egalecki]

Re: Meatloaf

Indeed I do use it in the oven for those things. Once the oven's less than 300 degrees. With the nice heavy lid, I've never even had to add water to most things unless I didn't put enough in to begin with. I put the pot in and put the door on and leave it for several hours.

You could put a pork shoulder in and make pulled pork too...If you pot's big enough.

[Jed]

Re: Meatloaf

Dusty,

I use similar pots in the oven on a regular basis. The last great meal to come from the pot (and the oven) is a variation on pork and beans; call it 'bambi and beans'. We made a venison sausage this year that tastes great, and it went into the pot with a couple onions, a pound of pinto beans, a can of stewed tomatoes, a bunch of garlic and other seasonings. The day after cooking pizza, I put it in the oven in early evening, and forgot about it till the next morning, so it was in the oven for maybe 12 or 14 hours? Came out great. Went into a 350 F degree oven, and came out of a 250 F degree oven. They are magic pots..

My first meal to come from the oven on a curing fire was a pulled pork dish. Again the pot stayed in the oven over night and turned a grizzly old pork shoulder into delicious sandwich meat... uhm tasty!

PhotoPlog - Cooking

The pot helps use the retained heat from the oven. We will cook up pizza's, and they are great, but now the oven is hot --- what are you going to cook next? The pot opens the door on a wide range of good food! and allows you to use the heat you put into the oven. First pizza, then calzone to use the left over pizza stuff, then bread, any roasting (you can use the pot for this also) then cookies, and then the pot... just follow the heat curve right on down with the appropriate cooking..

JED

[david s]

Re: Meatloaf

Sounds like you've got it all worked out. We try to cook something else after pizzas, seems like such a waste of usable heat if you don't, trouble is the pizza is so filling we're usually not thinking about more food. I think the secret is in the planning.

[david s]

Re: Meatloaf

Frances,
Have just made up your meatloaf which I will cook tomorrow,
Thanks it sounds delicious.