INGREDIENTS:
· 1 LBS. Ground Chuck or Sirloin. Look for at least a 90/10 blend or leaner.
· 2 Large Eggs
· 1 TBS. Worcestershire Sauce
· ½ Large Onion, Minced
· 1 Medium Green Pepper Minced
· ½ Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
· 3 TBS. SPICE SPICE BABY’s Bourbon Street Steak Seasoning
· ½ Cup Ketchup
· ½ Cup Tomato Paste
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 325.
2. In a food processor (or failing that do it by hand) mince the onion and green pepper.
3. In a large mixing bowl: Mix everything but the ketchup and tomato paste. Mix the ingredients thoroughly: I do this by hand. If you use a stand up mixer use the dough hook on slow speed. Mixing the ingredients too fast in a stand mixer can make the fat congeal.
4. Place the meatloaf mix Into a meatloaf pan-I use one that is 5 x 9 x 3.
5. In a small bowl combine the tomato paste and ketchup.
6. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake it for 1 hour. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, drain any fat that has made its way to the top of the pan.
7. Turn up the temperature on the oven to 350.
8. Coat the top of the meatloaf with the ketchup mixture and return it to the oven. Cook it for another 20 minutes or until it has an internal temperature of 160 degrees in the thickest part of the meatloaf.
COMMENTARY:
I like meatloaf because with a little bit of planning, it can be a super easy meal. I like to make this on a Sunday but serve it on a Monday. Meatloaf is always better if you refrigerate it until it's cold before you slice it. I just heat up slices in the microwave and serve it with home made mashed potatoes or oven-roasted potatoes.
I really like taking left over meatloaf and making it into a sandwich. I grill Texas toast, put thousand island dressing on it, a slice of meatloaf, Swiss cheese, and sautéed onions. If I am feeling naughty, I put homemade onion straws on it instead of the sautéed onions.