Rational Meatloaf

Submitted by igidni

"I recently decided that I'd just like to have a basic meatloaf recipe of my own. After throwing a few things together and actually, you know... going through with it (with the help of my girlfriend, who suggested the cooking wine), I prepared myself for disappointment. But, to my surprise... it wasn't half bad! Try it out yourself, and don't be afraid to make it your own with some extra spices and cheeses."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 1 loaf
• Serves: 4-8

ingredients

• 1 cup breadcrumbs (unflavored)
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 pinch dried oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese
• 1 sprig parsley (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef (80/20 lean to fat ratio preferable)
• 1 egg (I use extra large)
• 1 dash red wine
• 2 tablespoons ketchup (estimation, see below)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup (estimation, see below)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons milk (I use skim)

directions

1. First, move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Next, combine bread crumbs, Adobo, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and pecorino-romano cheese (be sure to pack it tight into those tablespoons, now!) in a medium mixing bowl. If you would like a little bit of color in your meatloaf, finely mince a bit of parsley and add that as well. Stir with a fork or whisk in order to get everything evenly distributed, and set the mixture aside.
3. Drop the egg into a small bowl and beat it just until the yolk is broken up a bit. Set this aside as well.
4. Now, dispense the ground beef (in small clumps) into a large bowl. Add to this your red wine, 2 tablespoons of ketchup (actually two "squeezes"; it may be closer to 2 teaspoons -- my eye for these things is terrible), Worcestershire sauce, milk, your bowl of dry ingredients, and your slightly beaten egg. Mix it all together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Try not to over-mix; doing so will yield a tough meatloaf!
5. Place the mixture into a bread pan and shape into a loaf. Lastly, spread on just enough ketchup (the aforementioned 1 tablespoon) to thinly (and I do mean thinly!) cover the top.
6. Bake for forty minutes (at 400°F) and let sit for five minutes afterwards. Serve and enjoy!