Monday, February 9, 2009

Meatloaf with Homemade Ketchup

Mealoaf is making a big comeback and I am not talking about the singer.

I know, I know...meatloaf. What a terrible name with an even worse stigma of tv dinners and the 1950's. But the truth is that it's pretty tasty and can feed a small army for cheap. My sister made this dish for her mother-in-law's birthday and it was down right delicious.

Do not let the picture above fool you. My sister did all the leg work. I just took it out of the oven and her husband snapped a photo. The pot above the meatloaf was her homemade ketchup that was rockstar. Quite frankly, it made the dish so don't attempt the recipe without making the ketchup, too. You will be very disappointed.

Homemade Ketchup

1 Tblspoon Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic
3 Anchovy Fillets (Optional)
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
T Teaspoon dry mustard
T Teaspoon Celery Seed
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cans (28 Oz/875 g each) whole plum Roma Tomatoes, Coarsely Chopped with Juice
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
3 Bay Leaves
Kosher Salt or Coarse Sea Salt tot Taste
2 Tablespoons Sugar (Optional)

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and the anchovies, if using, mashing and stirring until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, mustard, and celery seed and heat until fragrant. Add the Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the pan bottom. Cook until almost fully evaporated.

Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, the corn syrup, and the bay leaves. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low so the mixture simmers gently. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and shiny, about 1 hour. Season with salt, and sweeten with sugar, if desired. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Meatloaf

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 green onions, including tender green tops, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 egg, beaten
1.5 lbs ground pork
1.5 lbs ground beef

To make the meatloaf, in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the green onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and stir to distribute evenly. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Put the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat until small bubbles appear at the edge of the pan. Pour the hot milk into a large bowl and stir in the rolled oats and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the egg, sauteed green onions and 1 cup of the homemade ketchup to the rolled oats and stir to incorporate. Fold in the ground meats and mix gently with your hands just until the liquids are evenly distributed. Do not overmix, or the meatloaf will be tough and crumbly. Sear a small patty of the mixture in a hot frying pan until cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pack the meat mixture into an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan, mounding it nicely on top. Place in a baking pan to collect any overflowing juices. Bake the meat loaf for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and pour off the fat. Return to the oven until the juices run clear when the meatloaf is pierced in the center with a sharp knife or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest park registers 165 degrees, 30-45 minutes longer. If the top of the meatloaf is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Just before the meatloaf is ready, reheat the remaining ketchup. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Then cut into slices of desired thickness. Pour some of the ketchup on the slices and pass the rest of it at that table.

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