Most people will run from this recipe. It's not for the faint of heart because it's labor intensive. It's also the best meatloaf recipe I've tried. I've been making it since 2006 when I saw it in Cook's Illustrated magazine.
Glazed Meatloaf
Meat Loaf:
- 3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- I medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium celery rib, chopped fine, (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup tomato juice
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin (see note)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
- 3/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground sirloin (I use a combination of 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb ground pork)
- 1 pound ground chuck ( ^ )
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 - Adjust oven rack to middle position: heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread grated cheese on a plate and place in the freezer until ready to use. Prepare a baking sheet. See note below.
Note from Cook's Illustrated: Allowing meatloaf to stew in its own juice makes for a greasy mess. Here's our solution: Cover an metal cooling rack (I use a 9"x13" rack) with heavy duty aluminum foil and place over a rimmed baking sheet. Poke holes in the foil with a skewer about half an inch apart. Spray with non- stick cooking spray or coat with a thin film of oil.
There is no loaf pan. You're going to free form the meatloaf into a 10"x6" loaf on top of this rack.
2 - Heat butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally. until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the pan, until thickened, about one minute. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool.
3 - Whisk broth and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let it stand for five minutes. Stir soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Add ground beef; mix
gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about one minute. Transfer meat to the foil lined rack and shape into a 10 by 6-inch oval about 2 inches high. Smooth top and edges of meatloaf with a moistened spatula. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, about 55 to 65 minutes. (My note: I would check it sooner. I'm use farm raised meat so my meatloaf is done in 40 minutes.)
4 - While the meatloaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about five minutes. (My note: I find it takes longer to thicken up. Your mileage may vary.) Spread half the glaze over the cooked meatloaf with a rubber/silicone spatula and place under the broiler and cook until the glaze bubbles and begins to brown at the edges, about five minute. Remove meatloaf from the oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; place back under the broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about five minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for twenty minutes before slicing.
Here's a little understanding of food science for you. It's helpful to know.
Cook's Illustrated Notes:
How Gelatin Mimics Veal
Many meatloaf recipes call for three different meats (beef, pork, veal), and each one has a core function. Beef contributes assertive beefiness, while pork adds a dimension of flavor and extra fattiness. With veal, it's mostly about the gelatin - a viscous substance with natural water-retaining qualities that help keep a meatloaf moist and unctuous. Gelatin is formed when collagen, the protein in a cow's connective tissue, breaks down during cooking. Collagen is naturally present in cows of all ages, but the collagen in calves (the source of veal) is more loosely structured - and therefore converts to gelatin more easily - than the collagen in an adult cow. In our all-beef meatloaf, we successfully replicated the gelatinous qualities of veal by adding powdered gelatin.
So, how does it work? Gelatin is a pure protein that suspends water in a mesh-like, semisolid matrix. By slowing down the movement of liquids, gelatin has a stabilizing effect, making it harder for water and other liquids to be forced out, essentially fencing them in. In meatloaf, then, gelatin helps by (1) decreasing the amount of liquid leaking from the meat as the other proteins coagulate and (2) improving the textural feel by making the liquids more viscous even when very hot - sort of a transitional state between liquid and solid. That viscosity translates to a luxurious texture in the mouth - much like reduced stock or demi-glace - and the perception of greater richness, as if we added more fat.
Bottom line: Without gelatin moisture leaks out of meatloaf giving it a coarser, grainier texture and it falls apart.
With gelatin moisture is suspended in a semi-solid matrix, keeping the meatloaf juicy.
And that's your food science lesson for the day!
As I said, most people will run from this recipe.
@Blessed, I know how much you love to cook. If you decide to try this recipe, let me know how you liked it.
Bella
It’s something my husband liked. 
