A friend was asking for meatloaf tips, specifically using turkey, and I thought I’d put the response here so others could use it.
There are lots of turkey meatloaf recipes out there, so you can google for one, or use this from epicurious. What you need to know is that you can alter a meatloaf’s seasoning any way you want, and almost anything can go into a meatloaf — raisins, peppers, onions, pimiento, etc. You may make it Asian style (use soy sauce, a splash of chinese rice wine, some ginger, scallions, a teaspoon or so of sesame oil), American style (use pepper, green onions, worcestershire, bread crumbs, even mashed potatoes, some ketchup), Italian (mix in tomatoes and/or tomato sauce, some flat-leaf parsley, basil and oregano, 1/2 cup or so of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano), etc. You can make it a healthier meatloaf by using beans (pre-cooked and mashed) in place of some of the meat, or completely replace the meat with beans for a vegetarian dish. Mushrooms are REALLY nice in a meatloaf (even though my little ones don’t think so). If you put chopped up veggies, beans, and bread crumbs or mashed potatoes in there you’ve got a one-dish-meal! You get the idea. So pick a recipe that matches your taste then use the following tips:
For ground turkey, my main tip is to make sure you have moisture built in, because ground turkey, especially if it’s lean, will tend to dry out. Moisture can be “built in” several ways: add some of the turkey skin or fat to your mix, chopped and mixed right in, or if you’re making it from fresh turkey parts, reserve the skin, chop up your meat and mix it with the other ingredients, then wrap the whole meatloaf in the reserved turkey skin, so the fat cooks out of the skin and into the meatloaf. You can top your meatloaf with bacon, accomplishing the same thing. You can add bread, or bread crumbs, or saltine crackers, that has/have been soaked in buttermilk or yogurt. or some melted butter or oil. Make sure when you make your mix that it’s soft and has a good amount of liquid (not drippy though). An egg thrown into the mix is nice. You don’t want it too firm and packed together.
The way you bake it also makes a difference. I prefer mine on a baking sheet because fat goes onto the loaf from the bacon on top, but some of it also drains away onto the sheet. There are meatloaf baking pans you can use where you’ve got an inset with holes, so when the meatloaf is done you just lift the inner pan and the fat drains away. The most basic way is to bake it in a regular loaf pan (that’s why it’s called a meatLOAF!), but i’ve long tired of this method as my meatloaf gets either too greasy or too dry depending on the meat. it is also “packed in” so it’s dense instead of light, but I realize some people may actually like that.
Here’s a good recipe for starters:
1 lb. ground beef
6 saltine crackers, crushed and soaked in 1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk, for 15 minutes or so until mushy
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper or roasted red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large clove of garlic, mashed into a paste with a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish or finely chopped dill pickle (optional)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
5 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
3 tablespoons ketchup for topping
3 strips of bacon, halved crosswise
Mix all ingredients — except ketchup for topping and bacon — in a large bowl (clean hands are best for this job). Mound onto a lightly greased baking sheet, shaping gently into a loaf. Spread ketchup on top and arrange the bacon over the ketchup. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 45 minutes. This meatloaf is a bit crumblier than most, but I like it that way. if you don’t like your meatloaf crumbly, then decrease the amount of yogurt or buttermilk and/or add more meat.
You can use a good “meatloaf mix” that groceries have, usually made of beef-and-pork or beef-pork-veal. Make sure you know if it’s been seasoned or not.
You can use ground round instead of ground beef to lower the fat content.
(If you want absolute control over fat content or if you have concerns about e-coli or what have you, get your own meat grinder and grind the meat yourself. I’ve been to both ends of the spectrum — buying “any meat at all” and grinding my own — and these days prefer the convenience of buying ground organic grass-fed beef from a trusted vendor.)
You can use ground turkey in place of the beef, just follow the instructions above to make sure it stays nice and moist.
You can also add some bay leaves on top (on top of the ketchup and under the bacon); adds a nice aroma and flavor to the whole thing.
The recipe above is good enough without gravy, however if you want a gravy to go with it, here’s a simple way to make one:
After the meatloaf is cooked, transfer to a dish and keep warm. Remove the drippings to a saucepan and add some minced onions. Saute gently over medium heat until limp and translucent, then add a couple tablespoons of flour. Cook the flour for a bit, then whisk in some beef broth (homemade if you have it, or use demiglace, and/or red wine). add salt and pepper to taste and you’ve got gravy. you can enrich it with butter the last few minutes. if you like it completely lumpless, strain through a sieve.
A note about ground turkey: a lot of people use it because it’s supposed to be healthier than other meats, but then you run into problems like dryness and blandness, so you add things to the turkey to make it moister and more flavorful. Fat is a flavor carrier, so that’s where you would normally go to make the turkey taste better. But if you’re adding fat, you may be defeating the purpose. My philosophy is eat turkey if you really love it, but if you prefer the taste of beef or beef-and-pork, simply exercise portion control, and fill your plate up with veggies.
Enjoy!
PS Tofu meatloafs are all the rage in vegetarian circles, but I simply have not found a tofu meatloaf that I liked. Post a comment/recipe if you think you can change my mind:) — I love to try new things!
What to serve with meatloaf? Ooh, a good red wine… some garlic mashed potatoes (can you tell we love garlic?) or a rice pilaf, plus green beans and/or a salad.
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