Meatloaf popularity grows among foodies

[Shakespeare]

Okay, so who DOESN'T love a nicely done meatloaf? Gimme some with a side of mashed potatoes....

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8EOP8IOF.html

December 27,2005 | BEND, Ore. -- Growing up in Texas, chef Gavin McMichael used to ask his mom to make meatloaf for his birthday each year. Now that he has his own restaurant, meatloaf is on the menu, along with quail stuffed with foie gras.

"I was a huge fan, so of course I had to have meatloaf on my dinner menu," said McMichael, a partner in the Blacksmith restaurant in one of the fastest-growing sections of Oregon. "We are creating foodies as fast as we can. Then they want to try things like foie gras."

Mom made meatloaf to stretch the food budget. Dad ate it because it tasted good, especially with lots of ketchup. Now Baby Boomers are ordering it in restaurants. Meatloaf may not be tops on the healthy food list, though it can certainly be made that way with lean meats and lots of veggies. But this comfort food that became an American staple during the Depression is hanging on, growing up and branching out.

"It has graduated from diner food into restaurant food," while remaining a home-cooking staple, said Andrew Smith, editor in chief of the "Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink," from his New York home in Brooklyn. "It is real American food. It is something that is part of our early lives and part of our heritage."

[catnhatnh]

1. Meatloaf is a comfort food.....

...and that is a great deal of it's charm...and comfort foods are something we have discussed at my home of late.So I'll give you two...the first based on price-I used to was poor as a child, and the second a fresh take on a childhood favorite....

Tomatoes over bread.....A slice of Wonder bread slathered with margarine (which we referred to as Oleo) and topped with hot canned stewed tomatoes...anyone else remember this???

Slops-a rebirth....brown a pound of hamburger and drain...add one package flavored rice (last night it was Uncle Ben's four cheese) with the appropriate ingredients from the package (margarine and water) add 1 can Franco American beef gravy, a half a can of beer and, oh, a half a bag of frozen pepper medley (or whatever vegetable appeals)...Bring to a boil and then simmer for the time suggested on the rice packet....Yep-I'm twelve again and smell Mom's cookin' in the kitchen.Cordon Bleu, no-but Oh so good!!!

add your recipes from childhood please.

[wryter2000]

8. Slops = glutch

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=13564

A woman I worked with called it glutch. I started a thread. I think everyone has a version of "brown a pound of ground beef and open a can of..." favorite.

[NMDemDist2]

2. Mr Ketchup informed me I have to do my bi-annual meatloaf madness

on this break (and he's right, it's due)

I buy pounds and pounds of hamburger and sausage and make up anywhere from 6-12 loaves (depending on how much meat I can afford) and freeze a bunch

it will be a breeze this time since I got my "Tibetan" mixing bowl. a stainless 16" bowl that rings like a Tibetan prayer bell when mixing with a wooden spoon. It should be able to handle the whole batch in one bowl :woohoo:

his mom made meatloaf, but even she's switched to my recipe :evilgrin:

edit to add the recipe link

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php/DU_Recipes:Main_Dishes:Meat#Hubby.27s_Favorite_Meatloaf

[troubleinwinter]

3. I had never thought to add sausage.

What a great idea! Mild Italian sausage might be a variation to try, too. Hmmm...

[NMDemDist2]

4. keeps it really moist and yummy! n/t

[troubleinwinter]

5. Hey AZ, I'm moving from No. Calif. to Prescott in 4 weeks!

My dad lives in Prescott... I got myself a little place outside of town. Found the little joint with the BESSSST home-made menudo there while visiting a coupla months ago.

[NMDemDist2]

9. cool! prescott is cool, menudo, not so much...... n/t

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. ::::: gagging :::: gasping ::::: retching :::::::

Oh, you white, white, ever-so-white Americans.

This isn't "comfort food" where I came from. It's an invitation to get beat up.

THIS is comfort food in the old 'hood:


or this:


But, baked ground meat on white bread slathered with ::: hand over mouth :::: MARGARINE????

No. I'm sorry, and you can call me a filthy Commie, but this just isn't right.

I say it's dog food, and I say the hell with it!
(With a nod to Carl Rose and E.B. White.)

[NMDemDist2]

13. you have obviously never had GOOD meatloaf n/t

[OldLeftieLawyer]

14. No such thing n/t

[wryter2000]

7. I've never made a meatloaf

Just never got around to it. Maybe I'll get inspired.

[NMDemDist2]

12. my DH begs for them lol

with mashed taters

and it's pretty darn good on sammiches the next day too.....

[wryter2000]

16. Mashed taters

Mashed potatoes are a staple of my diet. Fried chicken is best served with mashed potatoes.

[mike_c]

10. I need to learn to make it correctly....

I've eaten enough bland, dry meatloaf to be way underwhelmed by the entire concept-- I don't even think of it when I run down my list of comfort foods. On the other hand, I knew someone nearly 30 years ago who made a meatloaf that I still remember fondly, especially sliced and made into sandwiches the next day.

[NMDemDist2]

11. two ways to keep meatload moist

my recipe (see above) or add ice chips to it, they'll steam the meat from the inside if you are using straight beef

[OldLeftieLawyer]

17. Now, who could resist that?

Yes, ice chips in dinner, just to make sure the meat is steamed.

Oh, man. Why not just use a steam iron and keep folding it over?

Or get a Foreman Grill. They steam things really well, I am told.

:::: still scared from that "m" post ::::::

[NMDemDist2]

18. take that up with H2S, the ice is his recipe

i use good old fashioned pork fat to keep mine moist

and some days i use ITALIAN Sausage in it :P

meatloaf is just meatballs all grown up anyway...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

19. He's not perfect????!!!?

Damn. That's gonna be hard to live with.

Ah, well.

You've clearly never had a real Italian meatball.

[NMDemDist2]

20. HA

years of living in North Beach and working for 18 years with the descendants of these guys and you think I've never had a real Italian meatball

whatsamatter you? you KRAZY!!!

Original owner Bill Bordisso (left) with Charlie Orselli.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

21. It's obvious your time was lost

I mean, really -

"whatsamatter you? you KRAZY!!!"

A true white person's notion of how we talk.

This explains the meatloaf affinity.

[NMDemDist2]

23. sadly i was quoting the old guy who taught me how to play euchre

and love espresso. he said that to every tourist who asked us where Ghiradelli Square was as we played cards at the sidewalk cafe

i think he did it for effect :rofl:

[housewolf]

24. Bacon...

It does wonders in a meatloaf.

I love a good meatloaf with mashed 'taters & gravy... yummmm!

[OldLeftieLawyer]

15. Consider ...

Twenty years ago is a long time.

Memories can get all turned around.

Plus, if drug use was involved - nothing personal - and the munchies surfaced - it could happen - things like ceiling tile are pretty damn good.

[The empressof all]

22. TEA's assessment of what makes a Proper Meatloaf

A proper meat loaf requires an equal blend of three meats: Beef, Veal and Pork. You can feel free to play with spices and additional ingredients...but you really need this blend of meats.

"Real Meatballs" are made with two parts beef to one part pork.


Sausage although it may be delicious in both Meatballs and Meatloaf is just not right. I admit to committing this sacrilege upon occasion. But who here is really without Sin....so we'll let it slide.

:hi: :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[Stinky The Clown]

25. Damn ..... seems like a meatball/loaf war is raging here.

Who'da thunk it, huh?

Obviously OldLeftieLawyer is in dire need of a court case, cuz she's sure in an arguin' mood.

And yeah .... I gotta way ta make meatloaf ..... an' yeah ..... it involves ice.

Now, if anyone wants to argue meatloaf ..... check out this atrocity .... from Food Network, no less:


http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails/recipe_4729.asp

Some people have more time than brains, it seems.

No, that last remark was not aimed at OLL .... it was for the creator/perpetrator of that meatloaf cake.

Just to be clear.

Yanno?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

26. Hmmmm

So finding meatloaf a disgusting proposition isn't somehow appropriate? Viewing a comparison of meatloaf with meatballs a specious claim isn't acceptable?

Well, then, I offer my deeply sincere apologies to all whom I have offended.

Enjoy your meatloaf, and all the best in 2006 and beyond to you all.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. I made meatballs for part of a Christmas Eve dish ........

I made Italian Wedding Soup. It has those little tiny meatballs in it. I made a pound of them. From BPV. With breadcrumbs. And egg. And gahrlik. And fresh herbs. No ice cuz the meatballs are too small for it to matter. Took forever to make 'em cuz they're about 1/2 inch.

My meatloaf (on the rare, rare, rare occasions when I make it) and my normal meatballs are pretty much the same. Except they're usually all beef. And they have ice in 'em. Shaved ice.

[jeanarrett]

27. That is some scary sh*t. What the heck is the green stuff?

Looks like a bad April Fool's joke.

[Stinky The Clown]

29. Parsley tinged smashed spuds.

Wutta travesty.

[jeanarrett]

31. I might make this on April Fool's day for my kids.

Family Fun magazine has a whole section on food fun for April Fool's day. But I think it would look more realistically like a frosted cake with just plain mashed potatoes rather than the green mess.

[The empressof all]

33. Here's what I'm thinking

I have one of those nifty baking pans that leaves a cavity in the middle. I'm thinking of filling it with mashed potatoes and onions then covering the whole thing with biscuit dough for the last 15 minutes. Comeon....Ya gotta love it!

[jeanarrett]

34. I think you should make a meatloaf ring, fill the middle with

mashed potatoes and then cover it with the biscuit coat. I would eat that!

[NMDemDist2]

35. wow, now that's a thought

i got a nice metal mold at the thrift store today and i'm gonna make some meatloaves in the next couple days

hubby would LOVE a meatloaf ring filled with mashed taters

:rofl:

[The empressof all]

30. OK.......I confess

I would make that meatloaf cake. What a fricken hoot! My friends are deranged enough to love it. Makes me think I should have a "retro" dinner party next month. What was that I heard about beet sparklers on another thread?

[chefgirl]

32. Wow

Thats just WRONG!

I work for a guy who was in the catering business in the sixties and seventies. Looks like something he would 'insist' we put on the menu. :puke:

-chef-

[housewolf]

36. I guess it's no surprise...

why the "Surreal Gourmet" who created that thing... isn't on tv anymore!

Ick!

That's all I can say...

[noamnety]

37. A curse upon all of you

I hate meatloaf. Always have. I think it's the vision of my mom being so freaking proud of putting an upside down custard cup in the middle of a meatloaf ring to form a vacuum and suck up all the fat while it cooks. As far as I'm concerned, any food that needs a fat vacuum has inherent problems.

But that meatloaf cake ... Why am I so fascinated by it? It's like an obsession now. I know I'm gonna end up having to make the damned thing. For company, no less, because it's too much for just the two of us.

Damn you all!

[Dora]

38. Could you inflict it upon your students?

Meatloaf was in our crockpot at least once a month in our house while I was growing up.

[mcscajun]

39. Crockpot meatloaf??? Eeeuuuwww... Sacrilege!

A proper meatloaf needs a good brown crust on it. Those loaf pan meatloaves are icky, too. Shape it right in a baking pan much larger than the loaf, cover it with bacon strips, and bake. No two of my meatloaves are ever the same. It's not science, it's art! Onions always, Mushrooms with or without green peppers, mixed vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, Heinz Chili Sauce, Italian sausage, Jones Sausage, whatever is in the kitchen/pantry and strikes my fancy. Obviously NOT all of the above in one loaf. :)

I AM partial to the mushrooms and bacon, though. :)

First night meatloaf must be accompanied by proper mashed potatoes and a goodly helping of cooked green peas. Now that's comfort food!

As for leftovers in sandwiches...Yum.

[Dora]

40. Sacrilege is as sacrilege does....

No, it's not the best method of making meatloaf.

However, I had many a tasty meatloaf dinner when I was a child, and said meatloaf came out of our trusty West-Bend slow cooker. My stepfather would just throw a coat of (gasp) ketchup on top. And being a kid, I had no idea that there was a better way. It was just dinner, and it was good.