Chef Pauls Meat Loaf Recipes

MEAT LOAF

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 1/4 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.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the carrot, celery, onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse until very finely chopped, almost to a puree. Place the minced vegetables into a large mixing bowl, and mix in ground chuck, Worcestershire sauce, and egg. Add Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate vegetables and egg into the meat. Pour in bread crumbs. With your hand, gently mix in the crumbs with your fingertips just until combined, about 1 minute.
• Form the meatloaf into a ball. Pour olive oil into a baking dish and place the ball of meat into the dish. Shape the ball into a loaf, about 4 inches high by 6 inches across.
• Bake in the preheated oven just until the meatloaf is hot, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.
• Remove the meatloaf from the oven. With the back of a spoon, smooth the glaze onto the top of the meatloaf, then pull a little bit of glaze down the sides of the meatloaf with the back of the spoon.
• Return meatloaf to oven, and bake until the loaf is no longer pink inside and the glaze has baked onto the loaf, 30 to 40 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Cooking time will depend on shape and thickness of the meatloaf.

PAUL PRUDHOMME'S CAJUN MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire and seasoning mix.
• Saute until mixture starts sticking excessively; about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well.
• Stir in the milk and catsup.
• Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. REMOVE BAY LEAVES.
• Place ground beef and pork in an ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Add the eggs, cooked vegetable mixture (cooled) and the bread crumbs. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined.
• In the center of the pan, shape the mixture into a loaf that is about 1 1/2 inches high, 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.
• Bake uncovered at 350° for 25 minutes, then raise heat to 400° and continue to cook until done, about 35 minutes longer.
• Serve Immediately as is or with "Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef".

CHEF JOHN'S MEATBALL-INSPIRED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt in hot oil and butter until onion is golden brown and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and cool onion mixture to room temperature.
• Place bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add milk and stir with a fork until combined. Let sit until all of the milk is absorbed into the breadcrumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine ground chuck, cooled onion mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Grab a handful of breadcrumbs and squeeze very gently to remove excess milk. Repeat with remaining breadcrumbs, transfer breadcrumbs to ground chuck mixture, and discard excess milk. Stir ground chuck mixture until evenly combined.
• Turn chuck mixture out into prepared baking dish, and shape meat into a 3x4x10-inch meatloaf. Pour tomato sauce over the loaf and into the bottom of the dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

CHEF PAUL'S MEAT LOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• how to prepare Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, green onion, the Magic Seasoning Blend, garlic, Magic Pepper Sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan until the mixture starts sticking excessively, about 6 minutes. Stir in the milk and catsup. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the beef and pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, cooked vegetable mixture (remove bay leaves) and bread crumbs. Mix by hand, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing will release the protein in the meat and make it mushy. Blend no longer than necessary to distribute ingredients. Place mixture in an ungreased 13" x 9" baking pan. Shape into a loaf that is about 12 x 6 x 1-1/2 inches - - it will not touch the sides of the pan - - and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Raise heat to 400°F and continue cooking until done, approximately 35 minutes.