wabash100 Offline

74 Male from Ithaca       53
         

Meat Loaf

Like something out of a 1950's sitcom, meat loaf is one of those American traditions that make us feel comfortable and safe. No surprises, no exotic ingredients, and while it might not be for entertaining, meat loaf is found on the family table far more often than say, beef bourguignonne. I stumbled across this recipe on the web and thought it looked good. As it turns out, it is unbelievably good and easy to make as well.

Carolina Meat Loaf

1 1/2 pounds ground round or sirloin (85/15)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup water
2 cups canned spaghetti sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared yellow or dijon mustard
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Oven: 375˚

Sauté onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, remove from heat and allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, egg, water and 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce. Let the bread crumbs soak for at least 10 minutes. Add beef and onion mixture and combine well. Form into a loaf and place in a glass casserole or baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce, mustard, vinegar, sugar and Worcestershire and heat until bubbly while stirring. Pour this mixture - all of it - over the loaf. Bake uncovered at 375˚ for one hour and 15 minutes or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 160˚F. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice to take advantage of the wonderful sauce.

Bon appetit...