Meatloaf to me is a blank canvas
A place where you can imagine any flavors you want and put out a dinner that your family will remember
It’s a great left over meal, especially in sandwiches
We have 3 pounds of ground turkey, you can basically use what you want in meatloaf, ground beef, pork, veal, turkey, chicken or a combination of meats
That’s what makes it such a great meal choice
I wanted the make a wholesome and comforting meatloaf so I decided to go old school and make a Country style which typically has veggies in the meat mixture and a nice gravy to accent the end product
We are starting with 4 slices of bacon, 1 large onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper
Slice up the bacon, chop the onions and garlic
Add the bacon to a pan and cook 3-4 minutes to render the fat out and brown it up
Add in the onions and garlic and cook another 4-6 minutes or until the onions are tender and slightly translucent
Peel your carrot and dice it along with the celery very finely
Add them to the pan along with the salt and pepper
Sweat these down 6-8 minutes
Turn the burner off and deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of bourbon (I did say country style)
Make sure the pan is in a safe place and light the bourbon
Swirl the pan around to burn off the alcohol
Once the flame is out set the veggies aside and allow them to cool off a bit
Next we have 3 pounds of ground turkey in a mixing bowl
Preheat an oven to 350 F
We will need at least 1 cup of bread crumbs (more as needed), 3 large eggs (whisked), 1/2 cup of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Add these ingredients to the ground turkey
Add your precooked veggies in as well
Using your hands gently mix all the ingredients together
Then place them in a baking pan and form into a loaf
Place the loaf into the oven and cook for 30 minutes initially
While the loaf is cooking we are going to make a mushroom gravy
We will need 1 onion, 2 portabella mushrooms, 1 cup of beef stock, 2 cups of gravy base, 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of Gravy Master
When I make meals like roast beef or pork I save any left over gravy and freeze it, which comes in very handy when you want a gravy for a meal that is not going to readily give you pan juices to use
This is what I refer to as gravy base
If you don’t have this, just add more beef stock and thicken it with a flour and butter roux
Click on this link to make Homemade Beef Stock
Remove the stems and gills and give the mushrooms caps a chop
Peel and chop the onion
Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat
Cook the onions and mushrooms for 6-8 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the beef stock and cook another 2-3 minutes
Add in the gravy base
Then add in the Gravy master and heavy cream
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 4-6 minutes or until slightly thickened
Season with salt and pepper to taste
At the 30 minute mark remove the meatloaf from the oven
Looking good
Typically I like to glaze my meatloaf, but I thought I would like to try something new
Like cheese!
I shredded an 8 ounce block of cheddar and placed that right on top of the loaf
Put it back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes or until all the cheese has melted and is bubbly
YUM!
Let the loaf rest at least 10 minutes before slicing
Then serve with the delicious mushroom gravy!
Country Style Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the meatloaf
3 pounds of ground turkey
4 slices of bacon
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup of Bourbon
1 cup of bread crumbs + more if needed
3 large eggs (whisked)
1/2 cup of ketchup
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the gravy
2 portabella mushrooms (stems and gills removed)
1 onion
1 cup of beef stock
2 cups of gravy base (left over gravy)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of Gravy Master
Directions
For the meatloaf
Cut up 4 slices of bacon, peel and chop 1 large onion and 3 garlic cloves. Add the bacon to a pan and cook 3-4 minutes to render the fat out and brown it up. Add in your onion and garlic and cook another 4-6 minutes or until the onions are tender and slightly translucent
Peel 1 carrot and dice it along with 1 celery stalk very finely. Add them to the pan along with 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Sweat these down 6-8 minutes. Turn the burner off and deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of bourbon. Make sure the pan is in a safe place and light the bourbon. Swirl the pan around to burn off the alcohol. Once the flame is out set the veggies aside and allow them to cool off a bit
In a large mixing bowl add in 3 pounds of ground turkey, 1 cup of bread crumbs (more as needed), 3 large eggs (whisked), 1/2 cup of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Add in the cooled veggies. Using your hands gently mix all the ingredients together. The place them in a baking pan and form into a loaf
Place the loaf into the oven and cook for 30 minutes initially. At the 30 minute mark remove the meat loaf from the oven. Shred an 8 ounce block of cheddar and place that right on top of the loaf. Put it back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes or until all the cheese has melted and is bubbly. Let the loaf rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with mushroom gravy
For the gravy
Remove the stems and gills from 2 portabella mushrooms and give them a chop. Peel and chop 1 onion. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions and mushrooms for 6-8 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the beef stock and cook another 2-3 minutes
Add in the gravy base. Then add in the Gravy master and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 4-6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste
If you don’t have a gravy base, add in 2 extra cups of beef stock and thicken with a roux of 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1/4 cup of flour
Tools used to make this recipe
Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl, Clear
Royal Classique 10 Piece Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
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