Meatloaf is a favorite in my house. I’m always trying to reintroduce new flavors into my meatloaf. Whether I’m trying different types of ground meat or adding different ingredients, meatloaf is comfort food.
I want to talk about my gravy for this dish. Sometimes I like to make a gravy that’s more in the style of an Au Jus. What I mean is, it’s more on the brothier side than a thicker style gravy. I’ll get into more detail later.
I’m making this meatloaf with ground chicken. It’s leaner and I can play around with some new flavors. This is my Meatloaf With Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yields: 6 to 8 Servings
Equipment: 1 (12-inc) sauté pan, 1 rimmed baking sheet pan, large mixing bowl, chef’s knife
Ingredients:
2 pounds of ground chicken (substitute ground turkey)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 red and yellow bell pepper, diced
1 Poblano pepper, diced, (substitute green bell pepper)
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, freshly grated
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 large eggs
1/4 cup Ricotta cheese, whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Ketchup
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
Gravy:
2 cups chicken stock, unsalted
2 cups beef stock, unsalted
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt and
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Side Dish: 2 (15-ounce) bags frozen petite Green Peas
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and diced peppers, cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Set aside to cool.
Place all the ingredients, from the list above, into a large mixing bowl adding the breadcrumbs last. Mix together until you get the consistency of wet sand. To that add the cooled sautéed onions and peppers and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Mix to combine.
Finally, add the meat. With clean hands, gently toss the mixture together, making sure it’s combined but not compacted.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet pan. Transfer the meat mixture over to the lined sheet pan. Pat the meat into a flat rectangle and then press the sides in until the meat forms a cylinder down the middle of the pan. This will ensure there will be no air pockets. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature, in the middle, reads 155-160-degrees F.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. There you have it, my Meatloaf With Sundried Tomatoes.
Directions For the Gravy:
To a 3-quart saucepot, add 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups of beef stock, and 5 sprigs of fresh thyme. Over medium heat, bring the liquid up to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste.
In a small bowl, add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to 4 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk together until smooth paste forms. Whisk the *slurry (cornstarch/water mixture) into the saucepot with the broth (chicken/beef) until the liquid comes back up to a bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Fish out the thyme sprigs.
*Slurry: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Whisk until smooth paste forms. Add the slurry into the hot, simmering liquid you want to thicken. 2 tablespoons per cup will give you a thicker, more gravy-like consistency.
https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/03/12/homestyle-baked-mac-cheese/
