Growing up in the ’70s, I remember that meatloaf was one of the most traditional dinner dishes. My mom had her version #tastethelove, my friends’ moms had theirs, and my grandmother had hers. They were all delicious but so very different. I think that’s what makes this dish so common in many households, but individually unique: meatloaf can be a blank canvas. You can add ingredients you like to make your meatloaf your own. Traditionally, meatloaf is made with ground beef, but now ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey are used.

My Homemade Meatloaf is a family favorite. Let me show you what goes into my Homemade Meatloaf, starting with the roasted garlic.

Prep Time: 15 minutes (prep the vegetables while roasting the garlic)
Cook Time:  2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 2 large mixing bowls, 1 rimmed baking sheet pan, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, 1 (3-quart) saucepan, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients for the Homemade Meatloaf:
1 pound of lean ground sirloin (90% lean)
2 pounds of ground pork
1 bulb of garlic, 4 roasted garlic cloves, minced, 2 raw cloves, minced
1 1/2 onions, small dice
3 ribs of celery, small dice
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted Piquillo peppers, finely diced
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
2 cups breadcrumbs, Italian-style
1/4 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup

Ingredients for the Brown Gravy:
4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 dash of Kitchen Bouquet, browning, and seasoning sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups of chicken broth, unsalted

Instructions for the Homemade Meatloaf:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Peel and discard the papery outer layer of the garlic bulb, leaving the skins intact. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top of the cloves, exposing the individual cloves.

Set the garlic in a piece of foil. Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over each exposed head; use your fingers to rub the olive oil over all the cut, exposed cloves. Sprinkle each head with a pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Wrap the garlic bulbs up in the foil. Place the foil packet on a rimmed baking sheet pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cloves are lightly browned and feel soft when pressed. Remove from the oven, carefully open the foil packet, and allow to cool.

While the garlic is roasting, prep all the vegetables.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add diced onions, diced celery, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic. As the veggies soften, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and freshly chopped thyme leaves, and stir to combine. Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.

Adjust oven temperature to 350°F.

In the large mixing bowl, with the diced roasted red peppers, add the roasted minced garlic, beaten eggs, Italian-style bread crumbs, half and half, fresh chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, kosher salt, freshly black pepper, dried oregano, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and the cooled vegetable mixture; mix to combine.

Next, add the meat to the bowl with all the other ingredients. Using your hands, mix until it’s all just combined; do not overmix. Add the meatloaf to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Form the meatloaf into a pretty-looking loaf. Refer to the picture above. There’s no need to do anything else to the meat. The oven will make it look beautiful, crispy, and brown. Trust me!

Meanwhile, start the Lumpy Mashed Potatoes. Click the link below for the recipe.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 155°F. Transfer the meatloaf to the counter, cover with foil, and rest for another 15 minutes. There will be carryover cooking time.

Instructions for the Brown Gravy:
In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and add the fresh thyme leaves. Next, add the flour and whisk, making sure there are no visible lumps. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, continuously whisking until the mixture turns light brown. Turn the heat down to low and slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Add a Kitchen Bouquet and Worcestershire sauce. Turn the heat back up to medium. Continue whisking until the gravy boils and thickens for 3-5 minutes.

There you have it, my Homemade Meatloaf.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/07/06/lemon-pepper-asparagus/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/07/22/recipe-for-lumpy-mash-potatoes/