Meatloaf.
I'm gonna shoot straight, because this is a meatloaf recipe, and meatloaf doesn't mess around.
Let's skip the jokes about how no one likes meatloaf, it looks like baked brains, blah blah blah, because that's nonsense. Meatloaf is the Don Corleone of dinnertime, and today I'm its consigliere.
There are probably as many meatloaf recipes in the world as there are cats on the internet. Mine is atypical in its freedom from tomatoes and/or tomato products. It's also packed with veggies (rather than Saltines), which lend it some extra moisture and sweetness without sacrificing body.
Smothered in Smoked Apricot Glaze and/or Pickled Green Apple + Shallot Relish, and served with a side of sour cream mashed taters and a simple arugula salad dressed up with truffle honey vinaigrette, this loaf is basically transcendent. Mangia, mangia.
yours,
aa
Meatloaf à la Tiny House with Smoked Apricot Glaze and/or Pickled Green Apple + Shallot Relish
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (give or take)
Serves 6 to 8
Recommended pairing: I ate this with a dark-jammy, slightly slate-y Côtes du Rhône. It was yum.
What you’ll need
For the loaf
1 ¾ lbs. ground pork
1 lb. ground beef (I used 75% ground chuck, and 25% Wagyu omgomgomg)
¾ to just under 1 c. carrot, grated
¾ to just under 1 c. sweet onion, grated
1 c. sweet potato, grated (not yam; legitimate sweet potato)
4 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp Herbs de Provence
¾ tsp Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp half 'n' half
1 egg, plus 1 egg white
Plenty of salt, plus equal parts freshly ground white and black pepper (about ½ tsp of each pepper, seriously)
For the toppings
For each slice of loaf:
1 tbsp apricot jam
1 to 2 drops hickory liquid smoke, depending on how smoky you like it
1 heaping tbsp Pickled Green Apple & Shallot Relish
How to make it
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a quarter sheet (one that's 1- to 2-inches deep) with parchment. Using your hands, mix everything together in a big bowl. Don't overmix it. JUST BE COOL
Turn out the meaty mixture onto the quarter sheet and mold it into a loaf. Keep the same thickness throughout so it cooks evenly. Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the loaf is browned on the outside; you can't take it anymore because your house smells so good; and the center registers 160 degrees on your trusty meat thermometer. Let the loaf rest for ~10 minutes.
While he's resting up, make your glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat apricot jam. Add 1 to 2 teeny-tiny drop of hickory liquid smoke per serving and stir to combine. Keep warm.
Slice your meatloaf and arrange attractively on a plate. Pour glaze o'er-top, and garnish with relish. Serve immediately, preferably with mashed potatoes and a salad of some variety.
