World Famous Meatloaf
I think I've convinced my boys my meatloaf really is world famous - at least for now. We sure enjoy it anyway. I hope you do too.
I think I've convinced my boys my meatloaf really is world famous - at least for now. We sure enjoy it anyway. I hope you do too.
- Carbohydrate 92.78001 g
- Cholesterol 1426.208555 mg
- Fat 427.339145 g
- Fiber 7.19690011692047 g
- Protein 284.695315024 g
- Saturated Fat 172.7837101994 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1802g)
- Sodium 7101.8997758 mg
- Sugar 85.5831098830795 g
- Trans Fat 73.607957938 g
- Calories 5421 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix all of the ingredients noted above except for the cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
- Molding the meat into animal shapes when your kids walk through the kitchen is highly encouraged.
- Add the spices to taste and bread crumbs until the mixture is not slimy and can form a loaf.
- Once properly mixed, pat the mixture into a loaf pan.
- I strongly recommend using a non-stick, double pan with a false bottom that allows the fat to drain away.
- This will ensure the meatloaf releases from the pan without breaking apart, and it will also be nice and firm instead of soggy.
- No one will ever believe a soggy, broken meatloaf is world famous after all...
- Bake for around 80 minutes to a safe ground meat temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Immediately after removing it from the oven, release the loaf from the pan, slice it, and (laying the slices on their side) top them with an American cheese single.
- The residual heat will be sufficient to melt the cheese as you add side items to the plate prior to serving.
- Be sure to offer ketchup on the side, but if you were thinking of topping the loaf with ketchup prior to baking it has been my experience that this is neither necessary nor desired if the right loaf pan is used.
- I like to dress my portion with sharp cheddar cheese and hot sauce, but, as always, be creative!
- Also, any refrigerated leftover loaf can be easily sliced to any desired thickness and made into as awesome a sandwich as you can conjure up.
- Have fun with it!
Canned diced tomatoes with green chiles introduce crucial moisture and acid to ground beef and sausage, balancing the heavy fat content of the meats without requiring excess liquid binders. Combining dense proteins like beef and sausage requires thorough manual mixing, yet overworking the proteins creates a dense, rubbery texture rather than a tender slice. Bread crumbs absorb the escaping moisture from the tomatoes and meat juices, acting as a structural sponge that dictates whether the final loaf holds its shape or slumps upon slicing.
Assessing doneness without an instant-read thermometer requires observing structural shrinkage and surface bubbling, though verifying an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit remains the only foolproof method to guarantee food safety. Inserting a probe into the exact geometric center avoids false readings caused by pockets of air or fat. A dual-pan setup with a perforated false bottom facilitates grease drainage, preventing the bottom third of the loaf from boiling in rendered fat during the 80 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Altering the primary protein ratio changes the fat output significantly. Swapping standard pork sausage for lean turkey sausage reduces total fat content, which requires the addition of a lipid source such as olive oil or finely minced pancetta to prevent dryness.
