Old Fashioned Meatloaf

My mom is from Thailand, so we didn't get a lot of meatloaf growing up in our house.  Actually, I don't think my mother has ever made a meatloaf (but her Thai recipes--stay tuned--are incredible).  So when our neighbor recently gave me this recipe, I was happy to try it.  It turns out exactly what I suspected I was always missing--a nice, traditional, and yummy meatloaf.  An added bonus is it sneaks in a healthy dose of veggies.  This generously serves our family of 5.  It's about 40 minutes of prep work so go ahead and plan to make two as it freezes beautifully (freezing instructions below).  Directions here are for one large loaf but I also like making it in lined muffin tins, reducing the bake time to about 45 minutes.

Old Fashioned Meatloaf (Adapted from Gourmet)

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 med. sweet onions (Vidalia), finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 med. carrot finely chopped
• 3 scallions, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2/3 cup ketchup
  •  Note:  if you are making this ahead or freezing, you only need 1/3 C now & will need the remaining 1/3 C before baking
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 3/4 pound ground pork or ground veal

Place your rack in the middle of the oven & preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat.  Add onions, garlic, celery, carrot and scallions and sauté for 5 min.  Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally until carrot is tender – about 5 minutes more.  Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/3 cup ketchup and cook, stirring for 1 min.

Transfer to a large bowl.  Add meats, bread crumbs, eggs and parsley and blend with your hands – do not over mix.  Form mixture into a 10x5 inch oval loaf in a 13x9 inch baking pan. 

To make ahead or freeze an extra loaf:  form a loaf on a sheet of plastic wrap.  Wrap tightly then wrap again in tin foil.  Label and freeze for up to one month or refrigerate up to three days.

Spread top with remaining 1/3 cup of ketchup (or more if your kids are ketchup lovers).  Bake for 1 - 1 ¼ hours.  Instant read thermometer should read 155 degrees in center of meat loaf.  Let stand for 5 minutes loosely covered with foil before serving. 

To bake from frozen:  Defrost in refrigerator overnight.  Place thawed loaf in a 13x9 baking pan and spread top with 1/3 cup of ketchup (or more if your kids are ketchup lovers).  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 - 1 ¼ hours.  Instant read thermometer should read 155 degrees in center of meat loaf.  Let stand for 5 minutes loosely covered with foil before serving.