# Meatloaf baked low and slow?



## Hyperion (Jan 12, 2012)

I always baked meatloaf at 350 until done. But I'm wondering since meatloaf is like a giant meatball, if I cook it low and slow for say 3 to 4 hours will it generate a buttery soft texture like a meatball marinara does? I suppose there will be juice coming out of the meat, pooling in the pan which basically braises the meat. How do you think?

On a side note, are there alternatives to the ketchup glazing?


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## Andy M. (Jan 12, 2012)

350º F is fine for meatloaf.

I never glaze my meatloaf.  Mine are flavorful enough without a glaze.


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## Merlot (Jan 12, 2012)

What I use:  

2 lbs ground chuck
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I use different types, whatever is on hand)
1 chopped onion
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
3 Tb vinegar
3 Tb brown sugar
2 Tb worcestershire
2 Tb mustard

Mix beef, crumbs, onions, beaten egg, S&P, and 1/2 can tomato sauce.  make loaf.  Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over.  Bake covered at 350, about 1 hour 15 minutes.


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## bakechef (Jan 12, 2012)

Maybe you could cook a meatloaf in a crock pot?

I usually don't glaze either, but maybe a nice beef gravy would work.


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## taxlady (Jan 12, 2012)

I never glaze meatloaf, but sometimes I cover it with BACON!


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## jennyema (Jan 12, 2012)

Meatloaf without ketchup glaze is like a day without sunshine!


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## CWS4322 (Jan 12, 2012)

jennyema said:


> Meatloaf without ketchup glaze is like a day without sunshine!


I prefer salsa on my meatloaf...especially homemade salsa (ketchup has too much sugar for my liking).


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## Andy M. (Jan 12, 2012)

jennyema said:


> Meatloaf without ketchup glaze is like a day without sunshine!



I never understood why meatloafs needed a glaze.  

However, I do enjoy sunshine.


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## taxlady (Jan 12, 2012)

jennyema said:


> Meatloaf without ketchup glaze is like a day without sunshine!



Sweet ketchup glaze - yuck.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2012)

Change up yoru meatloaf with Mexican, or Italian flavors.  Then top it with salsa, enchilada sauce, or even guacamole for the mexican flavored loaf, or marinara, Alfredo, brown sauce with mushrooms, etc.

Meatloaf doesn't have to me plain cround beef, with salt, maybe pepper, and fillers.  Use herbs, spices, and your imagination.  Change strips of pork, poultry, or beef for the ground beef and season, again with herbs and spices.

You can cover meatloaf with a veloute, or cheese sauce, or Tabasco Sauce if you want to.  Have fun with it.  

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the north


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## FrankZ (Jan 13, 2012)

I did a smoked meatloaf once, glazed it with BBQ sauce instead of ketchup.  

I used a smoking rub for seasoning.

The outside did get a tad dry from the long cook time, but it was delightful.


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## buckytom (Jan 13, 2012)

so, besides frank, has no one tried what hyperion is suggesting?  cooking a meatloaf in a low and slow way to create a better texture? 

i've seen sous vide ground beef and steamed hamburgers that were supposed to be really good. the key being the low temp and the moisture. but the conundrum is that the beauty in a meatloaf is partly due to the crust, glazed or not.

how can one attain both?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2012)

Maybe cook low and slow, then pop under the broiler?  That would give you the tender interior, with a crusty exterior.

A thought:  I had meatloaf in a worker cafeteria once that had pretty good flavor, but was so soft as to be mush.  It was defenitely not something I'd want on my plate again.  I don't think the bad texture was due as much to the cooking method, as it was to the added filler.

There has to be enough solidity in the meatloaf to give you a good mouthfeel.  Mushy meatloaf is like eating pre-chewed hamburger, or so my imagination would lend me to believe.

So be careful with jsut how tender your meatloaf is.  You just might have to turn it into soup.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Constance (Jan 13, 2012)

Back when I was working, I used to cook meatloaf in the crock pot sometimes. There's no crispy crust, but it tastes delicious.  Put a piece of foil under it and up the sides of the pot to help you lift it out when it's done. It's been a while, but seems to me that I skipped the catsup topping when I did it that way.


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## Timothy (Jan 13, 2012)

I have been a Meatloaf lover since I was a small child. We were allowed to pick our Birthday Supper and while my siblings always chose expensive things like Shrimp and Steak, I wanted Meatloaf, creamed corn, mashed taters and gravy with grilled asparagus. OMG, that meal was my favorite in the entire world, and still is!

I love Meatloaf sandwiches, so nothing that would be weird when cold should be in the meatloaf. I like the onions still a tad crunchy and the meatloaf firm enough to slice without falling apart.

I use "Stubbs" spicy BBQ sauce in the meatloaf and on it as a topping. I also put "Old Bay" seasoning in it. Heck, I put Old Bay in almost everything I cook. I don't even bother with putting the can away. It lives on my kitchen counter.

I make my meatloaf in two small glass loaf pans that each hold half the amount of a standard meatloaf recipe. They fit into my Toaster oven and it cooks meatloaf perfectly. 

The smaller loaf pans are *exactly* the size of a slice of bread, so the sliced meatloaf comes out sized perfectly for sandwiches.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2012)

Timothy said:


> ... Heck, I put Old Bay in almost everything I cook. I don't even bother with putting the can away. It lives on my kitchen counter.


 

Hmmm.  Old Bay in Chantilly Cream, or maybe Old Bay in cherry cobler, nope, I don't think that's gonna work.

I wonder what a seafood loaf would taste like, or a poultry loaf, or maybe a chudagi sausage loaf.  I bet that would be tasty.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 13, 2012)

I haven't made meatloaf in a long time. I don't mind it myself (especially having the leftovers in sandwiches ), but my wife and daughter LOVE Salisbury Steak. To me it's like the perfect cross between meatloaf and meatballs. I make them using a mix of ribeye steak and short ribs. Chop the meat in the food processor, add your bindings and herbs, sear on the outside, and then slow simmer in the oven in a mushroom gravy sauce.

I find that the slow simmering in gravy makes them melt in your mouth. I think the same technique would work great for meatloaf, too.

By the way, I've been told my Salisbury Steaks are so good that you don't need anything else on the plate. Ok, it was the girls who told me that. Maybe they are a little biased?


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## Timothy (Jan 13, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Hmmm. Old Bay in Chantilly Cream, or maybe Old Bay in cherry cobler, nope, I don't think that's gonna work.
> 
> I wonder what a seafood loaf would taste like, or a poultry loaf, or maybe a chudagi sausage loaf. I bet that would be tasty.


 
Old bay in sweet dishes or most creamed dishes doesn't work. It's awesome in a seafood spread, so a loaf should be very good too.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2012)

Timothy said:


> Old bay in sweet dishes or most creamed dishes doesn't work. It's awesome in a seafood spread, so a loaf should be very good too.


 
Old Bay works really well in breadings for chicken, pork, and fish.  It's also great in savory creamed dishes, such as sausage 7 Gravy over biscuits, or fish and meat chowders.

And yes, I was being silly with the fruity dishe3s.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## MostlyWater (Jan 13, 2012)

I think that I should be the guinea pig.  I want to try low and slow.


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## chayati (Jan 13, 2012)

I always bake mine in a water-bath (at least half-way up the side of the loaf pan) at 350 degrees.  The water-bath will insure even heat distribution throughout the loaf.  Another hint:  always make sure to use some sort of panada, bread soaked in whole eggs and milk or heavy cream.  This will help to keep the meatloaf moist.  You can substitute with mushrooms and eggplant for the bread and make it gluten free.  Sautee the mushrooms and eggplant (both small dice) and add your milk or heavy cream at the end and reduce slightly.  Cool and mix into the meat.


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