last night's experience with tough meatloaf got me thinking.

I've never really made good meatloaf - pick something you're not supposed to do (like over working the meat with your hands) and I've done it.

How about giving me some good old fashioned tips - the kind of stuff "everyone knows" - no matter simple or over easy you think it is, I'll wager I don't know it.

I would love to make meatloaf this weekend - recipes, hints, tips, your tired your hungry masses yearning to . . . .

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when life hands you lemons, order lobster!

Have you tried my recipe? I've never had a problem with it...??

Basically, you can't make meatloaf just from ground beef or you'll end up with texture like a brick. I find that a blend of ground meats works best for meatloaf and meatballs in order to get the texture softer. I like equal parts beef, pork and veal. Or, just beef and pork will work.

Also, you need to add some filler. Usually, this means bread crumbs or oatmeal but other things work pretty well like finely chopped onion (plus this adds to the flavor) or celery, water chestnuts and grated parmesan. Jicama or flax meal might even work too although I haven't tried those.

Also, if your carbs allow, you could use 2 slices of lc bread in addition to the other items.

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It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

Crushed pork rinds is my filler of choice, and second to that is TVP (texturized vegetable protein) - it works too.

I mix the meat/veggies/filler/egg/cream with my hands - I poke my fingers straight down into the mix, then kind of "turn it over" and do it again - gently!

I also add some flax meal to it, the fiber is good for all of us! And whatever seasonings you like, which always includes garlic and oregano for us. I like chopped green onion in it. Sometimes I add Parmesan or grated cheddar cheese too.

I like ground beef/ground pork/pork sausage for my meat blend, 2 parts beef to 1 part each of the other two. Makes a mighty tasty loaf!

And because I like a lot of "crusty" on it, I don't bake it in a loaf pan. I pack it in the loaf pan to shape it, then turn it out onto a foil-lined broiler pan for easier cleanup. I line the bottom with foil, then line the broiler part with foil and poke a few holes in it to let the grease drain away from the cooking meatloaf.

DH professed to not like meatloaf til I started making it for him!

Char

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Sharron, I haven't tried your recipe, you KNOW I was digging into your book when I got home!! It sounds SUPER yummy and that IS the recipe I'll be working with this weekend.

uh, btw, how do you handle the carb counts when your cooking and tasting????

You find the electric mixer does the trick??? I was concerned the meat mixture would be too heavy for it and was wondering if the potato masher would be a better choice. I learned the hard way WHY you don't over mix with your hands (can you say tasteless brick???)

Marcie - I am at a carb level where I can use lc bread and plan too, I had tried pork rinds before - talk about an oil slick!!

Char - tvp??? uh, this is what and you buy it where????? If it works as good as bread without the carbs I'd love to try it! (oh yum Italian sausage!)

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when life hands you lemons, order lobster!

Mixing with hands is really ok -- just keep it loose. My mixer is a stand one. If you don't have a stand one, then use your hands. I wouldn't use the masher.

Well, I actually don't do a lot of tasting, and I really don't "count" anymore. I just look at my overall ingredients and can see where they'll come out. Sure, sometimes I'm off when I do the nutritionals, but actually, more often than not the software has glitches that I have to repair!!

TVP is available in most stores that have bulk items.

Thanks Sharron - I think my problem has been over mixing in the past (remember it's meat, not playdoh!)

Are their any allergy issues with the TVP that you know of?? Have you ever used it yourself????

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when life hands you lemons, order lobster!

TVP is just soy. So, if you're ok with soy, you'll be ok with TVP.

I use the meat blend, too. I've also found that the flax meal is a great texture enhancement. So is ricotta.

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I used Almond Flour instead of bread crumbs and it was really good. The mixture of pork and beef is definitely a good choice, as Marcie stated.

Ya know, I've still never tried almond flour in my meat mixture, I've got to do that one of these days!

__________________
It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

my eyes lite up at that suggestion, I have that at home already!

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when life hands you lemons, order lobster!

When i make meatloaf i add TONS of veggies... onion, mushroom, (what ever is in the fridge) if i have some leftover steamed cauliflower it makes it in... in very small batches and i mince everthing very fine. the cauliflower i will sometimes toss in to my little handy chopper thing zipp it a few times and vola none knows its in there. i have used almond flour and have also used lots of eggs.. when all else faild... but that became a mes lol.. I have also tried useing pork rinds and realy didnt care for the overall turn out.

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01/02/04-248{ 4/29/04- 218} 6/30/04- 204
7-05-04 198 8/30/04 - 190 (got lost after that-)
4/03/08- 261 -
Goal-140-145

I've still never used pork rinds for a binder OR for a fry coating!

I've been low carbing for over 3 years and still never tried either one. I'm always meaning to try it but never have. You'd almost think I wasn't really a low carber! Seems everyone has tried it but me LOL

Gilley -

What didn't you like about the meatloaf with pork rinds? Was it the texture or the flavor? Or both?

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It is always necessary to leave some part
of cooking to improvisation. - Paul Bocuse
Member since 2001

I vote for the almond flour, myself. The pork rinds make it kinda chewy, to me.
And Marcie, I have used both almond flour and crushed pork rinds to bread stuff, and I think the almond flour tastes better, but the rinds are crispier...kinda like the difference between regular breadcrumbs and panko.

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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good to know Trina!! I too am not that fond of the pork rinds - the texture and taste aren't what I'm looking for in a finished product. I think that's one of the reasons I've held off on doing certain recipes until I could add in some lc bread crumbs - but I like the idea of the tvp and almond flour - why have the extra carbs when I don't have to???

(then again, considering my lack of getting in all my carbs, maybe I'd better stick to the bread lol!)

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when life hands you lemons, order lobster!