Just Like Mom's
The urge to nostalgia seems universal. We are most aware of it when nostalgia for some aspect of our past becomes fashionable again as with automobiles like the Ford Thunderbird and Chrysler PT Cruiser. And whoever thought we'd see bell bottoms again? (Thank heavens paisley hasn't come back.)
Rituals and traditions are also nostalgia in disguise. The Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas Mass, even birthday parties reflect this desire to reconnect with the past. Lately, diners and diner food have become retro chic. My inclination is to celebrate this effort to taste again the foods we grew up with -- except that too often they are foods of the past in name only.
Baked whole-wheat rigatoni with gorgonzola cream sauce may be very good, but it's not mac-n-cheese. Avocados, bean sprouts, and turkey pastrami on five grain bread is not a reuben. And barley has no place in meatloaf.
I do confess to having tried a lot of variations in meatloaf over the years adding grated carrots or glazing with plum sauce or using rice for the filler. But the only variation from my mother's meatloaf that has become common in my recipe is making a free-form loaf and wrapping it in bacon. Well, and I usually skip the ketchup glaze, but then, so did my mother. And isn't that the ultimate description of a nostalgic dish: Just like Mom used to make.
Meatloaf
3/4 lb ground beef
1/4 lb ground pork
1 tsp oil
1/2 ea onion -- medium, chopped
1 ea egg
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp tobasco
1/4 c milk
2/3 c bread crumbs
8 - 10 slices bacon
Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in a skillet and saute onion until softened. Set aside to cool.
Put meat, bread crumbs, parsley, and onions in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together all moist ingredients and seasonings. Add to meat mixture and mix thoroughly, being careful, however, not to overwork.
Shape mixture into a loaf and wrap in bacon slices. Cook on a broiler pan for about 1 hour or until center registers 150F. Allow to rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.
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Comments: 35
I cooked when I was a kid, but one thing my mother wouldn't do is let me watch her make meatloaf. She said I wouldn't eat it if I saw what went in it! When I was older she told me - and she was right! The only difference from yours is that her's had oatmeal and powdered milk (extra protien for the boys) instead of bread crumbs, and no bacon.
Thanks, Kevin, for the memories!
I'm glad you liked it. I also sometimes add a bit of grated carrot to it.
Richard,
I've tried oatmeal -- and crackers and bulgar wheat and rice -- as fillers and I prefer breadcrumbs for texture and flavor. (It's hard to beat homemade sourdough breadcrumbs.)
Donald,
Meatloaf sandwiches are hard to beat.
Beryl,
Someone else told me paisley was coming back.[deep sigh]
Thomas,
And who's the one posting Kobe rib roasts?
My "signature" ingredients in meatloaf are a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary and extra tomato sauce as a topping. I also frequently make it using ground turkey (not lean) for a lighter texture. My version is also a variation of my Mother's recipe.
There are as many recipes as there are mothers -- and children who cook.
Carol,
You probably ended up over mixing it (which was exactly what the fork was supposed to avoid). I'm not surprised -- that's why I prefer my hands.
J,
It would taste differently. The trick would be to make sure there's enough fat in it to keep it moist. If the bacon doesn't bother you, I might try grinding up some raw bacon and mixing it in.
Wait, why do I get the feeling this sounds like the guy from Forrest Gump who lists all the different ways to cook shrimp???
Great article!
That is, indeed, a complement.
Clare,
Why are you trying to be a vegetaria?
Gisela,
At least you don't sound like Gump himself. Wait, I think that was Gump.[g]
Thanks for this. It looks delicious!
As always, your photos are droolworthy. The whipped potatoes look delicious too.
Meatloaf is one of my once-a-year foods. I love it, but there are so many other things that need cooking too.
Breanne,
It's the combination of ground beef and pork that really makes that recipe. I should post my mac-n-cheese recipe.
Tony,
Uh ohh.
Kat,
Almost anything is better with bacon on it.
The column's an interesting idea. It might be fun. I wonder if anyone else would find it useful?
George,
Thanks. I take all the photos I publish. It eliminates those pesky copyright issues.[g]
The bread accomplishes three things. One, it's an extender enabling less meat to go further. Second, it's a binder and helps (along with the egg) to hold the loaf together. And three, as you noted it retains moisture (meaning juice and fat) that would otherwise drain away. Typically you want the bread crumbs (or whatever filling you're using) to disappear into the dish. But if you don't mind noticable chunks of bread then using the small pieces.
Jessie,
Bless their hearts!
I've never cared for salmon loaf, myself. I'll eat it but I wouldn't make it.
Laura,
Good luck!
It is.
Dariana,
Strawberry Plains is just northeast of Knoxville going out I40. Opposite end of town from me.