Classic Meatloaf

Like many children of the 80s, my mother worked full time and cooked every dinner. Although my mother was (and is) an expert at getting home from work at 5 and having a nutritious and interesting dinner on the table by 7, it was decided at one point when I was in elementary school that my father would make dinner one night per week, in addition to his weekend morning pancake and bacon feasts.

This meatloaf made a regular appearance when my father cooked. Despite our family’s utter lack of interest in anything sports related, my father dubbed it “football” meatloaf because of its free-form shape. What’s great about free-form meatloaf, as opposed to meatloaf baked in a loaf pan, is that the air circulates around the whole loaf, preventing it from becoming soggy or saturated in its own fat.

I’ve taken it a step further and devised a drainage system by forming a little dish out of aluminum foil to catch the drippings and placing the “football” on a cooling rack to keep it off of the pan and prevent soggage. Also, I like to buy whole beef and grind it at home to ensure that what we’re forming into a loaf is actually “meat” and not the odds and ends of trimmings that often compile ground meat sold in stores. Sirloin works nicely, or even just stew meat.

As common as it is these days to make updated or “grown-up” versions of old classics, the idea makes me cringe sometimes. Why mess with perfection? Sure harissa, truffle oil, and chipotle peppers have their place. Just not in my meatloaf. Because once you start updating comfort food, it’s no longer comfort food. It then becomes a bizzaro, exaggerated carnival act of what had been a comfort food. And sure you could make a glaze, but free-form meatloaf forms a crust on its own. And it’s not a cake, okay? So just back off.

This recipe is the classic, quintessential meatloaf intended to be served with buttery mashed potatoes and (gasp!) perhaps a bit of ketchup.

No truffle oil (which by the way, is kind of 7 years ago). No garlic. No herbs. Nothing new-agey (not that truffle oil, garlic or herbs are new-agey). Just plain old meatloaf and mash.

Classic Meatloaf – serves 4

2 lb freshly ground beef
1/4 C bread crumbs
2 T tomato paste
1/2 t salt
1/4 C finely diced or grated onion
1 T Worcestershire sauce

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

To create the little dripping catcher, cut foil into a square about 12″x12″. It doesn’t have to be exact. Fold up the edges and fold the corners into themselves to create walls. Place the foil onto a baking sheet and place a cooling rack over the foil.

Using your hands, mix the ground beef with the other ingredients. Form the meat into an oval loaf and place on top of the cooling rack.

Bake for 1 hour or a little longer until it gets to 160 degrees in the center. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and a green salad.

Ingredient origins: Organic Beef – unknown; Bread crumbs – New Jersey; Tomato paste – California; Salt – Maine; Onion – California; Worcestershire Sauce – California