My family loves meatloaf. They'd eat it three times a week if I let them, especially during our cold Colorado winters. I like to add interesting ingredients like zucchini, mushrooms and chunks of cheese for variety and added nutritional value. Meatloaf only requires a few ingredients, and slow-cooking it ensures an even internal temperature, which can help prevent food-borne illnesses.
Slow-Cooking
Many people use a slow cooker or Crock-Pot to allow food to cook at a low temperature over a long period of time. Because Crock-Pots tend to be deep, preparing meatloaf in this manner can cause it to become mushy and fall apart easily. Slow-cooking meatloaf in a baking pan in the oven allows the juices to spread out, preventing the meatloaf from becoming soggy. To slow-cook meatloaf in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the ingredients, place the shaped meatloaf in a shallow baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for one to 1½ hours, or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the foil during the last 15 minutes and drain the grease from the pan.
Baking Dishes
A large, shallow baking dish allows the juices to spread out in the pan while a deeper dish tends to concentrate the grease and juice around the meat. If you use a smaller, deeper baking dish, drain the liquid several times during cooking. You can reserve the drained liquid to make gravy or discard to lower the fat content of your meal.
Variations
Traditional meatloaf uses ground meat, such as beef, turkey or pork, and spices and ingredients that help bind the meat. Binders such as bread crumbs and eggs are commonly used, but you can bind meat with ingredients such as cheese, grated potatoes and oatmeal. Other commonly used ingredients include ketchup or barbecue sauce, onions and green pepper. Experiment and add other ingredients, such as chopped vegetables, crushed crackers or chips, cubed cheese, bacon or spices.
Nutritional Value
One-sixth of a basic meatloaf using 1 pound of ground beef, egg, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes and oats topped with a barbecue sauce or ketchup/brown sugar mixture contains approximately 250 calories, 17 g of protein, 10 g of sugar, 17 g of carbohydrates and 86 mg. of cholesterol. For meatloaf with less fat, substitute ground chicken or turkey for some or all of the ground beef. To reduce the amount of sugar, top meatloaf with Dijon mustard instead of barbecue sauce or other sugar-laden toppings.
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