Andy's Sweet and Savory Untraditional Meatloaf

Spitza's Note:

With raspberry preserves and Serrano chili's, this ain't your mama's meatloaf recipe! I always found the traditional meatloaf bland and boring. Try this one with a side of creamy Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes and buttery greens.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (or any other chili sauce with a kick)
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves (or other dark, tart berry preserves)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 sweet bell pepper, diced (any color but green)
• 1 serrano chili, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried ancho chile powder (or paprika if unavailable)
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (more on reserve if needed)
• 1/4 cup tequila (optional)
• fresh sage leaf
• pecorino cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
3. Heat a heavy skillet over med-high heat and add oil once hot. Sauté onions, pepper, celery, carrot, and Serrano until soft (5+ minutes). Add garlic, thyme, Ancho chili powder, a large pinch of salt, and several turns of pepper. Sauté an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant (careful not to burn the garlic). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine half of the sauce, beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, tequila, and sautéed vegetables. Mix with hands until homogeneous. Add more breadcrumbs as needed if the mixture is too liquidy. Careful not to over kneed, as the meat will become tough if overworked. Form the mixture into a loaf on the heavy skillet (if oven proof) or a Pyrex baking pan. Coat the loaf thoroughly with the remaining sauce, and cover with an arrangement of fresh sage leaves (you don’t need a ton, just enough so that every slice will have one or two leaves).
5. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes at 425F then lower heat to 350F and bake for another hour or until the internal temperature is about 160°F Cover and rest for 10-15 minutes, slice, sprinkle lightly with grated Pecorino cheese, and serve.