Molly's Meat Loaf
Originally based on a recipe I obtained from a Mom and Pop diner just outside Palm Springs, this has evolved over time and is our most favourite meat loaf recipe. We always use organic beef for this as the flavour is so much better and worth the few pence difference in price.
Originally based on a recipe I obtained from a Mom and Pop diner just outside Palm Springs, this has evolved over time and is our most favourite meat loaf recipe. We always use organic beef for this as the flavour is so much better and worth the few pence difference in price.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup onions finely chopped
- 1 whole chili peppers chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper coarsley ground, we use cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 pound ground beef as lean as you like
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper minced
- Carbohydrate 4.90142770789224 g
- Cholesterol 209.113805416667 mg
- Fat 58.5785633333333 g
- Fiber 0.777202091554801 g
- Protein 41.803904381 g
- Saturated Fat 22.1542718831833 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (304g)
- Sodium 303.95527726112 mg
- Sugar 4.12422561633744 g
- Trans Fat 14.9646427345 g
- Calories 724 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, Worcester sauce, salt mustard and pepper.
- Add the beef, cottage cheese, onion, garlic, parsley, green pepper, and the minced chili. Mix lightly but thoroughly, shape into a loaf in a loaf tin and bake at 350f for 50-60 minutes.
- Let stand for a few minutes before removing from the pan to serve.
A caramelized crust yields to a dense, savory interior where umami compounds from Worcestershire sauce and beef proteins merge under steady heat. Maillard browning reactions occur on the exterior surface when amino acids and reducing sugars encounter dry oven air at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, creating complex pyrazines that deliver deep aromatic notes. Ground beef provides primary structural proteins like myosin and actin, which coagulate during baking to form a firm network that traps internal moisture. Cottage cheese introduces moisture alongside slow-melting dairy solids and lactic acid, tenderizing the surrounding meat fibers without adding excess liquid that would prevent proper setting. Mustard powder contains emulsifiers called phospholipids that help bridge the gap between fat and water phases, ensuring the mixture does not break down into grease during the fifty to sixty minute cooking window. Minced green bell pepper and raw onion release sulfur compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons as they cook, cutting through the rich profile of the red meat. Thorough yet gentle mixing distributes these ingredients evenly while preventing the over-development of protein strands that yields a rubbery texture. Allowing the loaf to rest for several minutes after baking permits internal juices to redistribute throughout the protein matrix, solidifying the slices for clean portions.
