A Memorial Meat Loaf
Writing by treason on Sunday, 27 of May , 2007 at 1:14 pm
Holidays call for a holiday meal, and although Memorial Day is better known for its grilled burgers and hot dogs, I have decided that I will prepare a meat loaf. It had occurred to me a few months ago that I had never actually made a meat loaf, possibly because I’d never had a loaf that was so astounding, so memorable, that I had to pull out the bread crumbs and ground beef to construct one.
I went online to peruse recipes and found a very dependable one that lends itself to a healthy dollop of artistic license. In other words, one can manipulate this recipe and it is so good that it’s practically foolproof. I have taken liberties with this loaf on many occasions in the past few months and haven’t screwed one up yet. Allow me to share the original recipe here first (found on a local supermarket’s website and provided by Good Housekeeping), then offer my improvisations.
The Original Recipe:
A Sausage and Pepper Meat Loaf
Sausage and peppers are old friends that work as well in meat loaf as they do in other dishes.
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 red peppers, chopped
1 large onion (12 ounces), chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
1 pound sweet Italian-sausage links, casings removed
1 pound ground beef chuck
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 3 slices bread)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add red peppers and onion and cook until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Set vegetables aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine sausage meat, ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan, tomato sauce, salt, and cooked vegetables just until well blended but not overmixed.
3. In 13″ by 9″ baking pan, shape mixture into 9″ by 5″ loaf, pressing firmly. Bake meat loaf 1 hour 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing.
Makes 8 main-dish servings.
First of all, I never measure out my olive oil. I tend to pour until I feel I have the appropriate amount. And since my mother had been taught to cook by a Tuscan neighbor, I tend to use a sizeable chunk of (unsalted) butter along with the olive oil.
Next, I like variety in my bell peppers. I’ve never actually made this loaf with the required two red peppers. Not just because red peppers are pricier, but I appreciate the flavor of the basic green pepper. I’ve used two greens here, but more often I use one red and one green for contrast. This is Nuevo Mexico, after all, and red and green are significant colors here. I also like the way the red and green peppers look with the white onion in the skillet. It’s an Italian thing.
And here is where I’m tempted to call this “Liberty Loaf.” When I prepare this weekend’s dinner I intend to use a combination of red, green, yellow, and orange peppers. (In past loaves I’ve introduced a bit of roasted green chiles. This is Nuevo Mexico, after all.)
I don’t know how many ounces my onions weigh – I just grab a good-sized one and chop it up. (Note: I chop all my vegetables by hand and prefer a non-uniform size.) As for garlic, I don’t mess with the press; instead I drop chopped or minced garlic (whatever I have in the jar) into the sauté.
The key to this recipe is the quality of sausage. It’s hard to find a really good Italian sausage, but I’ve managed. A local market sells packages of ground Italian sausage – hot or mild – and I buy it on sale and stock it in my freezer. I choose the hot. And it is.
Here is where you can really take liberties. I’ve used good quality lean beef and I’ve used the cheaper stuff. I’ve also used ground turkey. Since the primary flavor is the hot sausage, I suggest using whatever ground meat you prefer.
Two eggs. The first time I made the loaf I just dropped two eggs into the mix and blended with my fingers. Now I prefer to break the eggs into a glass and whip them with a fork before mixing.
Bread crumbs. Again, I like non-uniform chunks when I cook and I crumble my own bread. The recipe calls for three slices, but I usually use more because when all is said and done I have more meat, vegetables, cheese, and sauce in the bowl than what the recipe actually calls for. Here is where you can experiment. I’ve used wheat, multigrain, ciabatta, focaccia with garlic and rosemary, stale rolls – and combinations of whatever leftover bread types I have on hand. I like a sturdy bread, so I recommend something substantial.
Parmesan. I use more than what the recipe calls for. A lot more. And sometimes I use a blend of Italian cheeses. And sometimes I use all of the above. Use your judgment.
Tomato sauce. You can get a little crazy here, too. I had been using basic canned sauce, but I buy 15 ounce cans and I don’t want it leftover sitting in the fridge, so I use more sauce, thereby requiring slightly more ingredients to balance. I make a mighty loaf. I’ve used varieties of jarred sauce, too, but still try to keep it pretty basic. If I find I have too much sauce while I’m mixing, I rub whatever’s left over the loaf before it goes into the oven.
I don’t use salt when I cook because there’s usually more than enough in the existing ingredients. (The sauce is loaded.) And I don’t care what that @#$%^&* Michael Savage says about it, I will continue to be liberal with black pepper. I sprinkle both a coarse black grind over the loaf and a coarse seasoned pepper before it goes into the oven. And because I’m generous when I “measure,” the loaf will usually require a slightly longer cooking time (it’s huge). I’ve never overcooked one, and even when the outside gets a hard crust on it, the inside is moist. I insert a meat thermometer when it starts looking like it’s close; adjust temperature according to the meat product you choose. (I also use a large Pyrex dish with non-stick spray here.)
I have served this with either rice or potatoes (garlic mashed are always a fine choice), steamed broccoli, asparagus, sautéed zucchini and yellow squash with or without mushrooms, a mix of corn and lima beans, or my absolute personal favorite: green beans.
I call it many things: Ellis Island Loaf, Liberty Loaf, or — as T prefers — Freedom Loaf. It’s very good the next day and T has discovered that it translates exceptionally well to casserole. We use a modified tuna casserole recipe, incorporating penne pasta, varied cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and chunks of the meatloaf (you can add roasted green chiles if you like) — and we scarf that down like wolverines.
This recipe is flexible and can be dressed up or down. The key is to keep it hearty, yet affordable. Can be served with beer or wine, or just about anything your heart desires. Perfect for Memorial Day, Columbus Day, or any day. Unless, of course, you’re a vegetarian. I haven’t yet made one with faux meat, but I imagine it’ll happen eventually.
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