Recipe of the Week: All-Beef Meatloaf

Meatloaf is an oft-maligned dish, I suppose because it seems too common compared to a dry aged steak or a luscious lamb chop. But I am here to tell you meatloaf is going to make a comeback, and I’m here for it. Here is my inclusion to the long list of meatloaf recipes - made with all Ontario beef!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 slices white bread, crusts cut off (sourdough or sandwich bread will both work) and diced
1 cup milk
1 egg, whisked
2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
To taste salt and pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup Hogtown BBQ Sauce, plus a bit more for serving

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2) In a work bowl, soak the bread in the milk for 10 minutes. Use a fork(or your fingers) to mash the bread and form a paste. Add the whisked egg and mix. Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, grated carrot, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. 

3) Check the seasoning of the loaf mixture by pan-frying a bit of the meat mix. Add more salt and pepper if needed. 

4) Oil the bottom and sides of a 9” x 5” loaf pan. Add the meat mixture and press down to fill the pan. Brush the BBQ sauce over the top of the loaf.

5) Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 160°F has been reached. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Brush a bit more BBQ Sauce on the top, slice and serve.