Do you like to be creative with your cooking? Try making meatloaf or ground beef. This recipe is so easy, and there's so much you can add to your meatloaf, your dinner will never be bland and never be the same! This recipe will make 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ground beef
- 3 slices of white bread, torn into small pieces OR 1 cup breadcrumbs/cracker/oatmeal
- 1 cup tomato juice or milk
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Step
Part 1 of 2: Making Basic Meatloaf
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
It's best to preheat the oven before any other processing, as the oven will be ready when you've finished processing all the ingredients and the baking time will be shorter.
The temperature above is approximately equal to 175 degrees Celsius
Step 2. Stir in breadcrumbs, onion salt and pepper
The slices of bread (or breadcrumbs, crackers, or oatmeal) serve as a binder that ensures the meatloaf blends well. For that you need to really tear the bread to shreds.
If you are using oatmeal, it is best to use a food processor to grind it, so that the flakes are smaller because they will act as a binder better. but it's fine if you don't grind it either, the meatloaf will be fine (it'll just be a little crumbly)
Step 3. Crack the eggs into another bowl
This is the best way because if there are egg shells that fall you can pick them up easily. Beat the eggs, not needing too hard, before adding them to the ground beef mixture.
Step 4. Mix the meat, tomato juice and eggs
You should mix all the ingredients until smooth, but not until the mixture is too long or too hard. Handle the meat slowly because otherwise the meat will be tough, and no one wants meat that is too tough.
Step 5. Add the bread dough to the ground beef mixture
It's better to mix by hand because once you've kneaded you'll be forming the dough into a meatloaf shape. Again, go slow, and stir just to mix everything together.
Step 6. Form into a loaf shape on a baking sheet
Instead of using a baking sheet, it's best to use a cookie sheet with no sides, so the fat can escape from the meatloaf. If you use a baking sheet, the meatloaf will be fatter.
On a baking sheet, shape the meatloaf into a whole loaf shape (like you would make it in a baking pan)
Step 7. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until meatloaf is cooked through
The liquid will come out clear when the meatloaf is grilled evenly.
Step 8. Remove the pan from the oven with gloves on and dry off the fat
Let it cool a bit (you can cover it with tinfoil). That way the meatloaf will be easier to cut and serve without being crushed everywhere.
Step 9. Serve and enjoy
You can serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower, fresh salad, and whatever you want.
Part 2 of 2: Making Creative Meatloaf
Step 1. Add the unusual filling to the meatloaf
Try adding thinly sliced potatoes, chilies, needles, celery, beans, carrots, etc. Make sure the slices are fine, by hand or in a food processor.
Step 2. Add cheese
You can dip the cheese in the meatloaf dough, or place it on top. You can spread the meatloaf dough flat on a non-stick surface and place the cheese in the center and roll the meatloaf over the cheese, resulting in a cheese-rich meatloaf.
- Try using cheddar cheese mixed with pepper jack cheese for a richer flavor.
- Blue cheese is great for getting a more smoky flavor.
Step 3. Make a spread for the top
You can cook the meatloaf in the oven for at least 10 minutes before applying the tops. There's a lot you can use as a spread, from something as simple as a spread of Worcester sauce, to more complex versions.
Another spread version is a mixture of tomato sauce, Worcestes sauce, honey, cumin and a little tabasko, and spread over the meatloaf. If you use this spread on a basic meatloaf, the taste will be richer
Step 4. Add the spices
Add fresh or dried herbs to the dip solution, or add red chili flakes, and garlic. Try different spices and seasoning combinations to get your favorite flavour. If you want it spicier, add more chili, or a little fresh rosemary.
Step 5. Try a different type of meat
You can try other types of meat to get a different taste and fat content. Just replace 230 grams of ground beef with whatever meat you want to try.
- For a spicier version, add hot sauce to the ground beef mixture.
- Adding ground pork will make the meatloaf higher and taste different.
Tips
- In addition to onion powder, you can also add fresh sliced onions to the meatloaf.
- For an even better meatloaf, toast the bread then crush it into crumbs and then dip it into the batter!
- If you want the meatloaf to be more moist and juicy, you can add cup of vegetable/chicken stock or tomato juice. You can also soak the breadcrumbs in the milk beforehand, but not in the soy milk, it won't taste good.
- You can also use various flavored crackers. I like to use a garlic-flavored cracker for added flavor.
- Breadcrumbs can be replaced with unsweetened cereal.
