Recipe Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze

AgileMJOLNIR

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Made a meatloaf last night using a recipe from one of my favorite science based chefs. I wasn’t sure about the introduction of anchovies or gelatin but it made a really good meatloaf. I didn’t want the meal to be too heavy so I balanced it with a side of Lemon and Mint Green Beans.

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Ingredients​

  • 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 ounce (2 packets; about 1 1/2 tablespoons) unflavored gelatin
  • 2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into rough pieces
  • 4 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned
  • 3 anchovy filets
  • 1/2 teaspoon marmite
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 12 ounces freshly ground pork (see note)
  • 1 1/4 pounds freshly ground beef (see note)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 ounces cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, or Muenster cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Glaze:
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method​

  1. Combine the chicken stock and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Set aside.

  2. Place the bread and mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

  3. Add the anchovies, Marmite, soy sauce, paprika, and garlic to the processor bowl and pulse until reduced to a fine paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.

  4. Heat the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the chopped vegetable mixture and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until it is softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes; the mixture should start to darken a bit. Stir in the buttermilk mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms and bread, stir thoroughly to combine, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

  5. Add the ground meat to the bowl, along with the eggs, cheese, parsley, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or half that volume in table salt), and 1 teaspoon pepper. With clean hands, mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and homogeneous; it will be fairly loose. Pull off a teaspoon-sized portion of the mixture, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it on high power until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Taste the cooked piece for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as desired.

  6. Transfer the mixture to a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, being sure that no air bubbles get trapped underneath. (You may have some extra mix, depending on the capacity of your pan; this can be cooked in a ramekin or free-form next to the loaf.) Tear off a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to line a rimmed baking sheet and use it to tightly cover the meatloaf, crimping it around the edges of the pan. Refrigerate the meatloaf while the oven preheats. (The meatloaf can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

  7. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. When the oven is hot, remove the meatloaf from the refrigerator and, without removing the foil cover, carefully invert it onto the rimmed baking sheet. Loosen the foil and spread it out, leaving the pan on top of the meatloaf (see note). Fold up the edges of the foil to trap the liquid that escapes from the meatloaf while baking. Bake until just beginning to set (the top should feel firm to the touch), about 30 minutes.

  8. Use a thin metal spatula to lift an edge of the inverted loaf pan, jiggling it until it slides off the meatloaf easily, and use oven mitts or a folded kitchen towel to remove the pan, leaving the meatloaf on the center of the foil. Return to the oven and bake until the center of the meatloaf registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. There will be quite a bit of exuded juices; this is OK. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F.

  9. Meanwhile, Make the Glaze: Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and pepper in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  10. Use a brush to apply some glaze to the meatloaf in a thin, even layer, then return it to the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Glaze again and bake for 3 minutes longer. Glaze one more time and bake until the glaze is beginning to bubble and is a deep burnished brown, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with any extra glaze and mustard or ketchup as desired.

Source: Serious Eats
 
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Some serious umami flavour here! I'm surprised to see you using Marmite since most Americans seem to dislike it...

The gelatine is indeed an unusual ingredient to add. What do you think it contributed?
Thanks Morning - I actually like Marmite believe it or not and have cooked with it before, it was Vegemite I tried via my Australian friend that I wasn’t a fan of years ago lol. All I can say is thats one of the reasons I love cooking, the exploration of cultures, ingredients, techniques etc. Fortunately for me living in Northern California I have access to lots of imported ingredients which makes recipe exploration even more accessible and I’ve been privileged enough to dabble with lots of euro spices and beyond otherwise I may or may not have heard of the stuff.. But there’s always Amazon I guess :wink:

I was interested with the use the gelatin and my first impression is that it held the loaf together in a much nicer shape without the need to compress it too much in the pan. The loaf held together nice but was soft yet firm without any crumbling. Without doing any sleuthing thats the only thing I took away from it as of now and I’d definitely try it again. I’ve made good meatloaf without it so my impression really is that it’s a bit of a hack for the sake of consistent texture. It certainly didn’t make it worse by any means.
 
All I can say is thats one of the reasons I love cooking, the exploration of cultures, ingredients, techniques etc. Fortunately for me living in Northern California I have access to lots of imported ingredients which makes recipe exploration even more accessible and I’ve been privileged enough to dabble with lots of euro spices and beyond otherwise I may or may not have heard of the stuff..

I'm with you there and I'm also fortunate. The UK has access to many imported ingredients too.

I was interested with the use the gelatin and my first impression is that it held the loaf together in a much nicer shape without the need to compress it too much in the pan. The loaf held together nice but was soft yet firm without any crumbling.

I reckon you are right. Its a way of gaining a firm texture without drying out the mixture.
 
Ooh yes, I like the look of that. Lots of yummy things like marmite and anchovies, and what I imagine to be a suggestion of sweetness. Great recipe!
 
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