Recipe Lab Turkey-Pork Meatloaf: Final Version Recipe
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Here’s the final version of our second CHOW Recipe Lab excursion: meatloaf. There are as many variations of this classic American dish as there are home cooks so we welcomed all your personal touches and opinions on how to improve this one. This final version accomplished all our goals as it’s not too meaty, too sweet, or too dry; it is easy to make, and a tasty crowd-pleaser. If we may say so, it’s downright delicious —just like someone’s s Mom used to make!
If you’re coming to this late, check out this thread for details on how to participate in CHOW Recipe Lab and what it’s all about.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup packed fresh, plain, torn bread pieces, crusts removed
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 2 large eggs, whisked until smooth
- 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 pound ground turkey (preferably thigh meat)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine torn bread and milk in a small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until no longer raw tasting, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add soaked bread, half of the roasted red peppers, parsley, eggs, Worcestershire, salt, mustard, and pepper to the vegetables and stir together until evenly combined. Add pork and turkey and using clean hands mix until combined (don’t squeeze or overwork).
- Form meat into a loose loaf and transfer into a 9-by-5 1/4-by-2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan (don’t press down). Mix together the remaining roasted red pepper and ketchup and brush it over the top. Place meatloaf in oven and bake until internal temperature is 150°F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let sit about 15 to 20 minutes, before slicing.
Could you substitute ground chicken for the turkey in this recipe? Turkey, ground or otherwise, is pretty difficult to find in Japan.
When using a loaf pan or muffin tins, I place a bit of bread down on the bottom. It soaks up the juices so the meatloaf doesn't come out runny.
you can make meatloaf in muffin tins and freeze individually without a problem.
I live alone . . . has anyone tried making these in mini-loaf pans and freezing them before cooking?
I never a use a loaf pan of any kind to bake a meatloaf. I think it just "steams" the meat. I use a standard loaf pan as a mold and then just turn it out onto a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. That way it forms a delicious outer crust instead of being mushy.
delicious recipe. i used more herbs and added some bread crumbs for crisp. it was delicious!
Thanks, Scrummy, for this little lesson on Worcestershire pronunciation. For years I would go to the store and ask where they kept the "war-chester-shy-er " sauce. My new husband is British and he has straightened me out.
I am going to make this recipe and eat it with a shandy in hand, as a toast to you.
palsh- I use a bread pan also...Draining the meatloaf half way through the cooking time helps-it's also a good time to re-glaze with the tomato mixture...You could also shape the loaves by hand and bake on a sheet pam(make sure it has a rim)...
Any suggestions for what to do if you don't have a meatloaf pan handy? I just have the regular bread loaf pan... normally without the holes, mine comes out great, but very watery....
I should preface this comment by saying that I really dislike the trend to do nothing but bash on these comment boards and hoped never to do the same - BUT it makes me sad that a self styled culinary website deosn't spell Worcestershire properly. Not "chest", just "cest" - and whilst we're at it, when pronouncing it, it's "wooster" with the "woo" as in "wood", short and simple, not "wurr-sess-turr-shire" which I hear all the time. Don't ask why, it's one of those crazy Brit contractions - the same way the old surname "Featherstonehaugh" is pronounced "Fanshaw". I kid you not.
That said, the recipe looks very yummy, thank you, and I like the turkey in it to make it a little less hard on my waistline :)