About
Mikey's Meatloaf is Mikey's specialty, a tasty and unique take on the beloved home-cooking staple. A few quick substitutions — saltine crumbs instead of breadcrumbs, a little sweet and savory ground pork in addition to the succulent beef, and tomato paste for a greater depth of flavor — make Mikey's Meatloaf such a treat for dinner! Thanks, Mikey!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup saltines, ground into fine crumbs
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- fresh parsley leaves, optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Step 3 -Add the onions and the celery to the melted butter and cook, while stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 4 -Add the garlic and the dried thyme to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 -Transfer the onion mixture from the heat.
Step 6 -Add the Dijon mustard, the soy sauce, the tomato paste, and the Worcestershire sauce to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
Step 7 -Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl and allow it to cool slightly.
Step 8 -In a large bowl, add the eggs and lightly beat them.
Step 9 -Add the milk to the beaten eggs and stir to combine.
Step 10 -Add the gelatin to the egg mixture and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
Step 11 -Add the beef, the pork, the saltine crumbs, the onion mixture, the salt, and the pepper to the egg mixture and using your clean hands or a rubber spatula, gently but thoroughly mix until the meat starts to feel tacky.
Step 12 -In a small bowl, add the ketchup and the brown sugar and stir to combine.
Step 13 -Spoon 1/2 of the meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan, spreading it out evenly and making sure there are no air pockets.
Step 14 -Spread 1/2 of the ketchup mixture on top of the meat mixture in the loaf pan, making sure it is spread to the edges.
Step 15 -Layer the remaining meat mixture over the ketchup mixture layer.
Step 16 -Spread the remaining ketchup mixture over the top of the meat mixture in the loaf pan.
Step 17 -Bake the meatloaf until it is browned and it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 40-50 minutes.
Step 18 -Optionally, switch the oven to the broil setting and broil the meatloaf until the top browns in spots, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 19 -Transfer the meatloaf from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes.
Step 20 -Carefully drain the excess fat and transfer the meatloaf from the loaf pan to a serving plate.
Step 21 -Serve garnished with the fresh parsley.
