Need ideas for meatloaf

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

Doesn't sound like you're using any spices at all! I throw some Italian
seasoning in my meatloaf and parmesan cheese. I make it more Italian style,
I guess. You can throw some worcestershire in there, or tomato paste -
anything goes, but yeah, yours, no offense, sounds a little bland. You're
making a big hamburger. Try chunks of fresh garlic, minced celery, chopped
spinach, even diced carrot.

Good luck!

kili

On Tue 08 Nov 2005 05:04:12a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Glitter
Ninja?

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

Well, meatloaf is an infinitely variable thing. For 2 lbs. of meat, I use
probably a full cup of onion, at least 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, and about
3/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Besides the egg, I also use catsup and a splash of
yellow mustard IN the meatloaf, along with 2-3 teaspoons of Worcestershire
sauce, at least 1 teaspoon of salt, and plenty of black pepper. The sauce
is fine. If you like green pepper, add some of that, too.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Right off the bat, I don't like meatloaf made with hamburger only. It's
got to be meatloaf mix ... ground beef, veal and (most importantly) pork.
Maybe add some sage, but be careful with the salt, not much more than
1 teaspoon.

But I find hamburger only meatloaves to be tasteless, too. Anyway,
thanks for the idea, I know what I'm making for dinner! Perfect weather
for meatloaf today.

nancy

Glitter Ninja said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

I use this recipe 🙂

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe157650

I submitted that to Big Oven 🙂

Here's the recipe in case ya just don't want to click the link

Diner Meat Loaf

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 slices mozzarella cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten

Instructions Heat oven to 350 degrees.Combine all ingredients except
tomato sauce and Mozzarella cheese.Mix lightly.In a 10 x 6" loaf pan,
shape loaf.Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Drain excess fat.Pour tomato sauce over loaf during last 1/2 hour of
baking time.Place Mozzarella cheese on top.Bake 5 to 10 minutes.Serves 4
to 6

-At times I have modified this and used "meatball mix" when I find it at
the commisary.

Also, I usually bake it for an hour (my oven may be hotter than normal)
and I usually use more cheese 🙂

Roberta (in VA)

Sometimes I put a layer of cheese and peppers in the middle. Also cross some
bacon across the top.

Glitter Ninja said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

I make meatloaf essentially the same way my mother did. I add yellow
mustard, ketchup, tomato juice, parsley, an egg, lots of black pepper,
and raw oats as a binder/filler (crumbled stale triscuits work well,
too, I've discovered). Sometimes I add a little worcestershire sauce.
I cover the top of the meatloaf with bacon and pour some additional
tomato juice over top. Periodically during the cooking time, I baste
it with a little more tomato juice. I really don't measure any of
this, so I can't be more specific.

Pat

Glitter Ninja

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

this is my meat loaf recipe. the loaf is very wet and goes onto a broiler pan
instead of a loaf pan. the drippings make great gravy for mashed potatoes too.
i try to use 80/20 or 75/25 ground beef when i make it. it's very tasty and
moist.

1.5 pound ground beef
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup + additional ketchup for slathering
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup chopped onions (or however much you want)
1/4 cup worcestershire
Mix all ingredients together gently. Form into a loaf and place onto a
broiler pan. Bake at 350° for about 45 mins. Remove from oven and
slather with ketchup, return to oven an bake for an additional 30 mins.

Roberta said:

-At times I have modified this and used "meatball mix" when I find it at
the commisary.

Roberta (in VA)

Ah, I forgot this in my previous post. I generally use a meatloaf mix
from the supermarket that has beef, pork, and veal. Again, that was
always what my mother used. All-beef meatloaf has a blander flavor to
me.

More recently, I have made meatloaf with ground turkey and turkey
bacon, which is a rather different flavor altogether.

Pat

Glitter Ninja said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

The main thing that will add a lot of flavor is to add pork. 50/50 is a
good combination. Also for 2 pounds of meat I would probably add a
medium onion. Instead of putting the sauce on top I would mix in
ketchup and worcestershire sauce.

I have a cool cookbook called the Great American Meatloaf Cookoff, or
some such thing. Hundreds of variations.

I use only beef and the Bell's meatloaf mix. For spices, I like the
peppery Bell's stuffing spices, a half packet of Good Seasons Italian
dressing, worcestershire, loads of salt and pepper, onion, sometimes
finely chopped bell peppers, egg.

I don't use a loaf pan. Just form a loaf on a foiled baking sheet, with
bacon and A-1 on top.

Great hot with gravy, but the best is next-day meatloaf sandwiches*. I
tried microwaving it and re-baking it, but now I just throw a couple of
slices in a frying pan and heat them in their own fat. Mmmmmm, tasty.

*Why do so many foods, like American Chop Suey, taste better the next
day???

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

That amount of beef, I'd add two eggs, a cup of breadcrumbs, about a
tbsp paprika, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 finely
chopped large onion, 1.5 tsp salt. knead and shape. I'd either cut thin
slices of bacon and lay them over the top, or cut 'bacon nails' and
spike them in to the meatloaf. Makes it self-basting. Bake it in a
covered roasting dish with maybe a couple of bay leaves as well. Medium
heat.

after baking, lift the meatloaf out of the pan, deglaze with boiling
water, add some capers, some bayleaf, a bit more ground allspice, whisk
in a paste made from sour cream and flour until the sauce has the right
consistency and smother the meatloaf with that on the plate.

Personally, I wouldn't allow ketchup near the table .. :-)

ymmv.
-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

I also put hard eggs inside. And out I cover with slices of ham .
Cheers
Pandora

Quoted message said:

George said:

Glitter Ninja said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

The main thing that will add a lot of flavor is to add pork. 50/50 is a
good combination. Also for 2 pounds of meat I would probably add a
medium onion. Instead of putting the sauce on top I would mix in
ketchup and worcestershire sauce.

My recipe for Asian meatloaf is in the "Origins of Sloppy Joe's" thread
from a month or so back.

George said:

Glitter Ninja said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

The main thing that will add a lot of flavor is to add pork.

Plain ground pork does little to boost flavor... add about one fourth
fresh pork saw-seege!

That's a mighty wimpy meat loaf recipe... needs like two big onions,
caramelized along with a few cloves smushed garlic... a grated carrot,
a grated potato, a fistful minced parsley n' celery leaves, a good glug
worcestershire, a big pinch red pepper flakes, a spoonful oregano, a
can of tomato sauce, some fennel seeds, and add TWO eggs per pound of
meat, and just before forming fold in a big bunch of well seasoned
croutons to add texture and suck up excessive moisture... not only is
flavor important, with meat loaf texture is everything... no one enjoys
a loaf could be a c-menta hocky puck.

I do meat loaf in my big roasting pan, there's never less than five
pounds of meat, of course ground myself. Cold meat loaf sammiches the
next day is the best, and meat loaf freezes beautifully.

Really can't make great meat loaf with stupidmarket preground mystery
meat.

Sheldon

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

Try 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork. I'd say 1/4c breadcrumbs is way too
little. I'd use at least 1c minced onion.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

I always keep half pound packages of sausage in the freezer for when I
want to make meatloaf. One pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound sausage
makes a nice mix. We prefer a spicy sausage, but that is up to you.

As to the other seasonings, they seem to change with my mood. Always
add at least one egg, oatmeal, finely chopped onion, and garlic and
then just kind of wing it.

And I agree that the best reason to make meatloaf is for the
sandwiches.

jillie
Roseville, CA

"Glitter Ninja" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian spiced
breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion. I
covered the loaf with a mix of ketchup, wet mustard, and brown sugar.
The sauce on top was great but the meat itself was bland. The 2nd time
I made it, I added some salt & pepper and doubled the mustard and onion
in the meat, with no improvement.
What do you guys use? Am I just using way too few spices for the
amount of meat?

Stacia

Well, here's the recipe we refined to *our* tastes after years of falling
short. Everything's in it - maybe the kitchen sink somewhere.

Dora
* Exported from MasterCook *

Henry's Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion -- chopped
2 stalks celery -- chopped
1/4 green pepper -- chopped
2 handfuls Pepperidge Farm stuffing crumbs
2 eggs
1 package Lipton's onion soup mix (or 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons brown gravy
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon Heinz zesty Kickers ketchup
1 tablespoon A-1® Steak Sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cocktail sauce
1 tablespoon salsa
celery seed
Italian seasoning
McCormick's Bon Appetit
(onion powder and celery salt blend)
Plenty of salt and pepper
4 slices American cheese
1 12-oz. can V-8® vegetable juice
Italian breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients well, moisten with V-8 juice. Form into loaf, fit
cheese on in a diamond pattern and pour remaining V-8 over. Sprinkle with
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF. for about
1-1/4 hours.

Cuisine:
"American"

I forgot - I used to use a meat loaf blend (a mix of ground beef, pork and
veal). It was very tasty. I don't see ground pork and certainly not veal
at the market nowadays.
I know, Sheldon - I can grind my own, but I don't even see veal there
period. It's a mediocre supermarket and cause for much griping on my part.

Dora

Nancy Young said:

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I've been on a meatloaf kick lately, but I'm having trouble with the
meat being a little bland. I use two pounds of hamburger (plenty for
two people plus leftovers) and add an egg, about 1/4 cup Italian
spiced breadcrumbs, about 1/2 t. dried mustard and 2 T minced onion.

(snippage)

Quoted message said:

Right off the bat, I don't like meatloaf made with hamburger only.
It's got to be meatloaf mix ... ground beef, veal and (most
importantly) pork. Maybe add some sage, but be careful with the salt,
not much more than 1 teaspoon.

But I find hamburger only meatloaves to be tasteless, too. Anyway,
thanks for the idea, I know what I'm making for dinner! Perfect
weather for meatloaf today.

nancy

Yep. Definitely use at least a mix of ground beef/ground pork; ground veal
can be hard to find and/or cost prohibitive. The beef should not be too
lean, either.

I like to use oatmeal as a binder along with the egg. Mom used to use
crushed saltine cracker crumbs. Whatever floats your boat 🙂 I add minced
onion, garlic, celery, sometimes bell pepper. I don't season much beyond a
little salt & pepper, but I DO add shredded cheddar and about 1/2 c. of that
bottled cocktail sauce and a dash of Worcestershire *to* the meatloaf
mixture. Never been a fan of the ketchup sauce topping on meatloaf but
that's just me.

Jill