This succulent, tender meatloaf is made with lean, grass-fed ground beef and, as such, it’s relatively comparable in fat to a meatloaf made with turkey. I happen to have a real grudge against ground turkey, so it’s music to my ears every time I read a study that states with scientific certainty that extra lean ground beef is a suitable substitute for more health-conscious ground turkey, with, obviously, a different host of beneficial nutrients such as iron and niacin. My mom always studded her meatloaf with old fashioned oats and bell pepper instead of the more traditional bread crumbs. With this recipe, I decided to seize the best of both methods and modify her approach slightly by pulverizing the oats in a blender to make a fine grain and combining them with seasoned panko bread crumbs. I use grated carrot to add sweetness, finely chopped or grated yellow onion to add a sharpness, and a paste of roasted garlic for depth of flavor. Served alongside a hearty dollop of mashed potatoes and some butter sauteed green beans, this tastes like the America of Normal Rockwell paintings. Make it for the man in your life tonight. Or, better yet, make it for your mama.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs lean, grass-fed ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon grated parmesean cheese
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated or minced yellow onion
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
3/4 cup grated carrot (about three large carrots)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon roasted garlic, about five cloves smashed into a paste
1 cup old fashioned oats, pulverized in a blender or food processor until mixture resembles whole wheat flour
Meatloaf Topping
Ingredients
1/3 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all the meatloaf ingredients until they’re thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and shape it into a loaf. Combine all the ingredients for the topping and spoon evenly over the meatloaf. Bake for approximately one hour, or until the beef is thoroughly cooked.
