I grew up eating meatloaf regularly. It was a popular item in my mom’s dinner rotation, usually served with baked potatoes – because they could bake at the same time – and a green vegetable, like broccoli. Although I’ve knocked my mom’s cooking on occasion (sorry, mom), I actually liked her meatloaf quite a bit. And the leftovers made for a good sandwich on toasted bread with cheese and ketchup.
But not everyone has happy memories of meatloaf, and there’s that association with bad cafeteria food. Just the sound of it is perceived as a bit unappetizing. A loaf of meat? Surely someone could have thought of a better name. Though isn’t it strange how no one reacts that way to meatballs, especially when a meatloaf and a meatball are so similar? Hmm.
Traditional meatloaf “mix” is packaged with beef and pork. But as I browsed around the Rutland Co-op last week, turkey caught my eye over pork. I guess my turkey craving couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving. Mushrooms called to me as well and added an extra savory depth to the loaf. And that’s what I love about foods like meatloaf, meatballs, and burgers – you can always play with the flavors.
Chopped onion, garlic, sage, and thyme flavor the meat as well, while egg and breadcrumbs bind it all together. It’s really pretty simple to put together; that must have been why my mom relied on it so often. Once the meat is mixed, it bakes unattended for nearly an hour.
The best tool for mixing meat is your hands. Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty.
You don’t need a loaf pan for a meatloaf. It bakes up fine, just shaped on a baking sheet. See the large flecks of onion? Yum. But if you’re not an onion fan, chop those up a bit more than I did here.
A little homemade gravy cannot be overlooked when serving meatloaf. Just save some of the onion from the loaf, cook it with tomato paste, mustard and flour, reduce with apple cider, and it’s good to go well before the meatloaf comes out of the oven. Or, if you’re on top of your game and have the gravy made before the meatloaf is in the oven, spoon some over the top before baking.
Beef, Turkey & Mushroom Meatloaf with Cider Mustard Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread crumbs (or 1 large slice of bread, chopped)
- 2 cups broth (beef, turkey, or vegetable)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 10 leaves sage, chopped
- 8 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup apple cider
- A small bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, pour one cup of the broth over the breadcrumbs and let sit for a minute as you prepare the other ingredients.
- Combine the beef, turkey, mushrooms, half of the chopped onion, garlic, herbs, and egg in a large bowl. Mix with your hands and fold in the breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Form the meat mixture into one large loaf or two smaller loaves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your loaf.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot, cook the onion, tomato paste, and mustard in a tablespoon of the oil. When onions have softened, about 5 minutes, sprinkle over the flour. Cook another minute, then add the remaining cup of broth and the cider. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes, then add in the parsley.
- Slice the meatloaf and serve with the gravy.