Turkey Meatloaf
Old-style recipes (and I'm talking the 1950s and earlier) seem so passé, but sometimes ....they come in handy for an easy, filling dinner. This contemporary recipe from Smitten Kitchen uses turkey, not beef. I suggest a longer baking time, but it takes only a few minutes to make. It's great for kids in that it's tasty enough for adults (but not overly flavoured for young children and their sensitive pallets), it has carrots baked into it (vegetables for those who won't otherwise touch a legume) and it can feed an entire family at a relatively low cost. Makes great sandwiches if there are any leftovers, too.
More easy weeknight options: Open-Dish Baked Meatloaf, Turkey Burgers with Zucchini, Free Form Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Vegetables.
Time: 55 minutes (10 mintes to prepare, 45 minutes to bake)
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients for the Meatloaf
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed or minced
1 slim carrot, roughly chopped
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (30 grams) panko-style breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (60 grams) chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 grams) Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
1 pound (455 grams) ground turkey, preferably a mix of dark and light meat, or just dark
Ingredients for the Glaze
1 heaped (20 grams) tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon (15 grams) apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce of your choice (optional)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Heat an oven: To 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the meatloaf: Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or small sheet pan with nonstick spray. Very finely dice the onion, garlic, and carrot in a food processor, or by hand on a cutting board.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, coat the bottom with olive oil, and heat it for a minute; then add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes; transfer them to a large bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs, broth, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine.
Add the egg and the turkey, and combine just until the vegetable-egg mixture is dispersed through the meat.
Pat the turkey mixture into about a 4-by-8-inch shape in your prepared pan.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Brush or spoon the glaze over the meatloaf.
Bake the meatloaf for 35-45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160°F (70°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can insert a knife into the center and hold it there for 10 seconds. You should feel no resistance, and when you pull it out, the blade should feel hot.
Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into 1/2 - 1-inch slices to serve.
Old-style recipes (and I'm talking the 1950s and earlier) seem so passé, but sometimes ....they come in handy for an easy, filling dinner. This contemporary recipe from Smitten Kitchen uses turkey, not beef. I suggest a longer baking time, but it takes only a few minutes to make. It's great for kids in that it's tasty enough for adults (but not overly flavoured for young children and their sensitive pallets), it has carrots baked into it (vegetables for those who won't otherwise touch a legume) and it can feed an entire family at a relatively low cost. Makes great sandwiches if there are any leftovers, too.
More easy weeknight options: Open-Dish Baked Meatloaf, Turkey Burgers with Zucchini, Free Form Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Vegetables.
Time: 55 minutes (10 mintes to prepare, 45 minutes to bake)
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients for the Meatloaf
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed or minced
1 slim carrot, roughly chopped
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (30 grams) panko-style breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (60 grams) chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 grams) Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
1 pound (455 grams) ground turkey, preferably a mix of dark and light meat, or just dark
Ingredients for the Glaze
1 heaped (20 grams) tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon (15 grams) apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce of your choice (optional)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Heat an oven: To 350°F (175°C).
Prepare the meatloaf: Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or small sheet pan with nonstick spray. Very finely dice the onion, garlic, and carrot in a food processor, or by hand on a cutting board.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, coat the bottom with olive oil, and heat it for a minute; then add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes; transfer them to a large bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs, broth, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine.
Add the egg and the turkey, and combine just until the vegetable-egg mixture is dispersed through the meat.
Pat the turkey mixture into about a 4-by-8-inch shape in your prepared pan.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Brush or spoon the glaze over the meatloaf.
Bake the meatloaf for 35-45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160°F (70°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can insert a knife into the center and hold it there for 10 seconds. You should feel no resistance, and when you pull it out, the blade should feel hot.
Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into 1/2 - 1-inch slices to serve.