https://www.copymethat.com/r/dgmgjpb2gx/ina-gartens-meatloaf/
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2024-12-09 10:31:13
Ina Garten's Meatloaf
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The recipe starts with a shock at the top of the ingredient list: three whole onions.
But, while that might seem like overkill, it's ultimately what makes the recipe so tasty. Don’t worry about taking a bite full of onions; unlike most recipes which throw raw onions right into the meat mixture, Garten's recipe cooks them down in “good olive oil” until they're soft, sweet, and rich in flavor. Caramelizing the onions mellows out the sharpness, allowing them to melt into the meat, almost smash-burger style. It also helps build real flavor in this recipe, rather than shortcutting things with a packet of French onion soup mix (as we're guilty of doing a time or two).
There's not a whole garden of herbs in this dinner either—just one: fresh thyme. Its earthy aroma is the perfect complement to the sweet onion flavor. But, because thyme is the only herb in the spotlight here, using fresh instead of dried is really critical to the dish. In a recipe this simple, it makes all the difference.
But, while that might seem like overkill, it's ultimately what makes the recipe so tasty. Don’t worry about taking a bite full of onions; unlike most recipes which throw raw onions right into the meat mixture, Garten's recipe cooks them down in “good olive oil” until they're soft, sweet, and rich in flavor. Caramelizing the onions mellows out the sharpness, allowing them to melt into the meat, almost smash-burger style. It also helps build real flavor in this recipe, rather than shortcutting things with a packet of French onion soup mix (as we're guilty of doing a time or two).
There's not a whole garden of herbs in this dinner either—just one: fresh thyme. Its earthy aroma is the perfect complement to the sweet onion flavor. But, because thyme is the only herb in the spotlight here, using fresh instead of dried is really critical to the dish. In a recipe this simple, it makes all the difference.
Servings: 6
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup canned chicken stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 ½ pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
- ½ cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
- 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.
Notes
- Finally, for perhaps the most clever tip of all, Garten adds a pan of hot water to the oven rack right below the meatloaf. This step creates a steamy environment that cooks the dish gently and evenly. Minimal cracks, maximum moisture.