American Classics with Scott Peacock: Meat Loaf

" -Hi, I'm Nancy Hopkins, food editor for Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and I'm with Scott Peacock and we're making a great American classic today--meatloaf. So, Scott, what makes great meatloaf?"

" -Great meatloaf is made of what everything great is and that's with a lot of attention to the details which are really simple but very important."

" -So, tell us, what goes into it?"

" -Well, some meat but also some flavorings and to start these flavorings, we're gonna saute up some vegetables, bit of butter, and we've got some mushrooms here that we've diced up pretty finely and while that's cooking, I'm going to crush up a little bit of garlic and some garlic will be peeled and then, because I want the flavor to go all to the meatloaf and not have big chunks of garlic, we're gonna rub it to a paste."

" So these mushrooms have cooked a little bit and then we've got some onion, about a cup and a half, cut up rather finely. And then some celery and a little bit of dried thyme. Not too much but about half a teaspoon. For me, I just want a rich, flavorful tasting meatloaf that has complexity to it but it's also sort of subtle at the same time. So I think this is sort of a company meatloaf, I think, 'cause it makes a nice generous bit."

" -Now the garlic."

" -Now, we'll put the garlic in now. We wanna put that in a little closer to the end because you don't wanna risk burning them,"

" and then we'll just stir in half a cup of grated carrots."

" -Oh."

" -And now, we'll just set this aside. It's important to set this aside and let it cool completely before we mix it into the meat--"

" -I see--"

" -So we've got about three parts beef and one part pork."

" -Pork."

" -And so, to that, I'm gonna season it with about two teaspoons of kosher salt, about a cup of bread crumbs that is soaked and half a cup of half and half. It lightens up and it binds together"

" and so you mix the eggs in with that and then also bacon. Took about four slices of bacon, I just chopped it up nice and fine. I'm gonna add that in. I think that gives a little richness and some flavor. As far as mixing this, I think the best utensil to do that is one that you were born with which is an immaculately clean hand. You're like, you're not trying to squish it together. I'm really trying to work it with my fingers and break it up to distribute everything through there and just twist it around and then take--"

" work in this again to lighten it up, and then if you'll help me, we could do together one of the vegetables that have cooled down, if you'll just take them."

" -Sure."

" -And mix them over the top. You could bake in a loaf pan which works fine but I like cooking it in a baking dish instead because I can get a little bit better crust and this is, again, is a company-size meatloaf which I think is a good thing, or a leftover size meatloaf."

" -I see."

" -So I just dampen my hands just in some cool water, I'm coming here,"

" I'm just, I like a nice--"

" -Sort of--"

" -It's like, I'm just making, it doesn't have to be perfect, sort of flatten it out. I think a longer narrow loaf is sort of attractive."

" -Uh huh."

" -But I think it helps to make just a little lip around here on the edge. This is totally optional. Okay, this is probably the only recipe I've ever used ketchup in."

" -But it's meatloaf."

" -But it's a very American thing and in talking with people, I mean, this is that flavor that American flavor and taste that people like and it does have an intensity. I love the sharp and the sweet."

" -Uh huh."

" -So we're gonna enhance it just a little bit with a little bit of brown sugar, and just--"

" -Is that about two tablespoons?"

" -About two tablespoons, and a little bit of cider vinegar, just about a teaspoon."

" -Oh, that's good."

" -Yeah. And we've got half a cup of organic ketchup here and there you have it--"

" -It's beautiful."

" -It's ready to go into the oven."

" -Wow, easy. Scott, this looks just amazing. I can't wait to taste it. I'm Nancy Hopkins for Better TV."