It’s better than Meatloaf. It’s Mattloaf.
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ lb very lean ground beef
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp dill pickle relish (Shhh! Don’t tell Jim!)
- ¼ cup tbsp Heinz 57™ sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp basil
- optional stuffings (see below)
LESSON
The important thing here is the beef. It should be the leanest available, I usually use the 93% lean. You don’t save money buying the cheaper stuff, because the fat just melts off leaving you with less meat and more grease. Don’t skimp on the ground beef.
It’s also very helpful to have a meat thermometer.
DIRECTIONS
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients by squeezing together with your hands. Knead until all ingredients are fully incorporated. I like to use my food processor’s dough hooks to knead it; it’s less yucky that way. Save a little of the Heinz 57 sauce to brush on top right before it’s done.
- Shape into a ball and transfer into an ungreased bread pan. Spread out to fill the pan and form a loaf.
- Wash your hands again.
- Bake at 400º for one hour. Brush the top liberally with more Heinz 57 sauce and bake another 15 minutes, or until center reads 160ºF on a thermometer.
- Remove from oven and allow to set 15 minutes before cutting into ½- to ¾-inch slices.
Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy, a green vegetable and a dinner roll.
SERVINGS: 4 to 6
Leftovers make great sandwiches.
VARIATIONS
Stuffed Matt Loaf: Use a little more than half of the meat mixture to make a trough in the pan and fill it with whatever you like. It works best if you include some kind of cheese to bind everything together. Then cover with the rest of the meat, form into a loaf and bake as usual. Some possible fillings:
- cheddar cheese and bacon
- mushrooms and swiss cheese
- diced pepperoni, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese for a pizza loaf
- cheddar or Mexican Blend cheese, salsa, and black olives for a taco loaf
… or use your imagination! The possibilities are endless.
