The Meat Loaf Miracle

I love a good meatloaf. The truth about meatloaf is that it is somewhat polarizing. Some people love it and some people hate it. I think it makes a great supper club dish because the “lovers” will be thrilled and you can make it in advance. Making it in advance is a big winner in my book. For the “haters” there is that old Irish expression “The heck* with them if they can’t take a joke”.

Why do the “haters” not like meatloaf? A good friend of mine once told me that she wasn’t a fan because her mother made a lousy meatloaf and they were forced to eat it growing up. I have to confess that while my mother is a good cook, her meatloaf wasn’t her best dish. With that said, I have a cousin that lives near my mom and he loves her meatloaf and mom still makes it for him every couple of months.

My supper club meatloaf is a little different than most. To be honest it is fairly complex and has been described as a cross between meatloaf and pate.

Check out the recipe:

The keys to a great meatloaf include:

1. Higher grade ingredients.

I use New York strip steak as a base. This started when I had a steak with freezer burn that I ground in a food processor. It made such a great meatloaf that it has become a standard practice and a real key to success.

2. Sweet Italian Sausage

The mixture of the beef and pork really works. It adds flavor and complexity that makes a meatloaf special.

3. Sautéed Shallots

My father once accused me of not being able to cook anything that doesn’t include onion and garlic. Guilty! The shallot adds a depth of flavor that few would pick out in a blind taste test but really works.

4. Cheese

In this recipe I use Monterey Jack Cheese, but most cheeses work well. Cheese rounds out the flavor and adds a nice richness of flavor. And yes, I did work for Kraft for 35 years!

5. Bacon

What doesn’t benefit from the addition of a little bacon? Topping your meatloaf off with bacon adds to the flavor and sets off the battle to pick at the wonderful crispy pieces as the meatloaf is being carved

The recipe also includes the basics of breadcrumb, egg, salt and pepper and adds up to a really tasty main dish. I like to serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans. Lately instead of gravy I have been serving it with a simple au jus. All I do is save the pan scrapings and mix them in with a couple cups of beef stock that I bring to a boil and reduce by a third. The au jus assures that you will have a juicy dish and adds a salty complement to the entire dish.

If you enjoy this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels that sell books.

* PS The true Irish expression uses a saltier four-letter word that I try not to use. When your 95 year-old mother tells you to clean up your act, you listen…some times.