On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:24:53 -0500, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
wrote:

Here's what I got:

A loaf about the consistency of a brick, and it was sweet, which I
attribute to all those onions. You really can't readily tell it's made
of meat. I worked my way through it, rather than waste all that chuck,
but it's just hardly all right, only if I coat it with A-1 sauce.

Here's what I want:

A really meaty recipe, favoring beef, but I'm interested in everything.

Eliminate the bread crumbs (I hate the taste and texture breadcrumbs
give to meatloaf), put the catsup on top (just a thin layer) and leave
A1 at the grocery store. The milk must be there to moisten up all
those breadcrumbs, so that goes as well and what the heck are
horseradish and dry mustard doing in meatloaf? Leave them out. Cut
down on the salt and add black pepper. Other than that, the recipe is
fine.

Meatloaf shouldn't be hard to make. Just squoosh up a few ingredients
(3 or 4 at most) with your hands, plop it in a pan and bake until
done.

Oh, some onions are sweeter than others. If what you usually buy was
really too sweet for you, try the white ones next time.



--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:11:49 -0700, sf wrote:


Oh, some onions are sweeter than others. If what you usually buy was
really too sweet for you, try the white ones next time.

He used dehydrated onions, instead of fresh onions. I recommend using
fresh onions.

Christine

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:28:15 -0600, Christine Dabney
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:11:49 -0700, sf wrote:


Oh, some onions are sweeter than others. If what you usually buy was
really too sweet for you, try the white ones next time.

He used dehydrated onions, instead of fresh onions. I recommend using
fresh onions.

I was just glad he left out the green peppers. I've been known to add
half a packet of dehydrated onion soup to meatloaf, so I guess it just
didn't phase me.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

Thanks to everyone for all the critiques and advice. I learned a lot
and will try again in a week or two.

For no particular reason, I feel a need to conclude this thread with a
joke:

A new worker asks another, "How long have you been working here?"
The other one replies, "Since they threatened to fire me."

On Sun 13 Jul 2008 12:24:53p, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite told us...


. . . But to truly be helpful post your meatloaf recipe and let us
pick thru it. Can't fix what we can't see.

Thanks, here we go:

My personal lesson he It is not easy for a rank beginner to read a
recipe and totally understand exactly where it is going.

From "The Good Houskeeping Cookbook", 1963. My Mother's last cook book,
and the only one I still have:

I have several editions of this cookbook. the 1963 edition is my favorite
for all-around basic cooking.

Page 106 (verbatim)

quote

Meat Loaf

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
2 eggs
2 lbs. ground chuck
2 tbsps horse-radish
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup milk or evap milk
3/4 cup catchup

1. When it's convenient, prepare bread crumbs, minced onion, green
pepper.

2. About 1 hour before serving: Start heating oven to 400 F.

3. In large bowl, with fork, beat eggs slightly. *Lightly* mix in
chuck, then crumbs, onion, pepper. (Meat will be juicier and more
tender if you handle it as little as possible.) Add horse-radish, salt,
mustard, milk, 1/4 cup catchup; combine lightly but well.

4. In bowl, shape meat into oval loaf; transfer to shallow baking dish
or broil-and-serve platter; smooth into shapely loaf. Spread top with
1/2 cup catchup. Bake 50 min.

5. Serve from baking dish or broil-and-serve platter, pouring off excess
juices. Or, with 2 broad spatulas, lift loaf out of baking dish onto
heated platter. Spoon some of juices over meat. (Nice chilled, then
served sliced, too.) Makes 8 servings.

P.S. If you prefer a soft, moist exterior, bake meat loaf as directed in
9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan. pour juices from pan after baking. Unmold meat
loaf onto cake rack; then place, right side up, on heated platter. Use
juices for making gravy if desired.

/quote

----

Here's what I did:

The chuck available in the Jewel in Chicago is pretty lean, less than 20
percent fat.
Used a jar of dried minced onion
Skipped the pepper
Put the "catchup" into the loaf but did not slather "catchup" onto the
top, since I'm not that big a fan of "catchup."
Used the loaf pan method described in the P.S. part.
Drizzled only about a third of the juices onto the loaf at then end.
The juices were cloudy and did not look all that good.

To be blunt, you should have followed the recipe as written.

The recipe did not call for dehydrated onion. Unless called for, one should
assume fresh onion. In the event that you either needed or wanted to
substitute dehydrated for fresh, most containers of dehydrated onion show the
equivalent amount of dried for fresh, and the instructions for rehydrating
them.

Never add more liquid ingredients (in this case, catsup) to a meatloaf than
what is called for. It will definitely alter the texture.

If you don't like or don't have green pepper, it's alright to omit it without
major consequences.

Here's what I got:

A loaf about the consistency of a brick, and it was sweet, which I
attribute to all those onions. You really can't readily tell it's made
of meat. I worked my way through it, rather than waste all that chuck,
but it's just hardly all right, only if I coat it with A-1 sauce.

I'm not at all surprised.

Here's what I want:

A really meaty recipe, favoring beef, but I'm interested in everything.


Try this one. It's easy. Following the directions. Don't add or omit any
of the ingredients, unless it's the green pepper, which can be omitted.

If you want to "beef" up the taste, add a 2-3 teaspoons of met base like
"Better than Bouillon" to the mixture.

Do not bake it in a loaf pan. Shape into a loaf as directed, and place in
baking dish.


* Exported from MasterCook *

13 Crackers Meat Loaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/2 Teaspon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Pound Ground Beef (preferably 20% fat)
1/3 Cup Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
13 Saltine Crackers -- finely crushed
1 Tablespoon Chili Sauce

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Whisk together the egg, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt,
black pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.

Crumble ground beef into large mixing bowl.

Add chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and crushed crackers.

Toss meat mixture together with two forks until all ingredients are well
distributed.

Add reserved egg mixture and mix thoroughly with hands.

Shape into an oval loaf and place in baking dish.

Smooth top and spread 1 tablespoon chili sauce evenly over surface.

Bake in lower third of oven for 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until nicely brown and
juices run clear.

Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to stand 15 minutes
before slicing.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 07(VII)/13(XIII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
'There isn't anyone who doesn't
appreciate compassion'
-------------------------------------------

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:59:48 -0500, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
wrote:


Thanks to everyone for all the critiques and advice. I learned a lot
and will try again in a week or two.

For no particular reason, I feel a need to conclude this thread with a
joke:

A new worker asks another, "How long have you been working here?"
The other one replies, "Since they threatened to fire me."

Which opens the door for me to ask "who *are* you"? You're obviously
not new to usenet and probably not new here either. Whoever you are,
in whatever form, welcome to the fray.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:15:41 -0700, sf wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:59:48 -0500, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
wrote:


Thanks to everyone for all the critiques and advice. I learned a lot
and will try again in a week or two.

For no particular reason, I feel a need to conclude this thread with a
joke:

A new worker asks another, "How long have you been working here?"
The other one replies, "Since they threatened to fire me."

Which opens the door for me to ask "who *are* you"?

You're obviously not new to usenet and probably not new here either.

I agree with you on this one. One of our own?

Whoever you are, in whatever form, welcome to the fray.

koko
--
There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 7/06

"Cuthbert Thistlethwaite" ha scritto nel messaggio
Here's what I did:

The chuck available in the Jewel in Chicago is pretty lean, less than 20
percent fat.
Used a jar of dried minced onion
Skipped the pepper
Put the "catchup" into the loaf but did not slather "catchup" onto the
top, since I'm not that big a fan of "catchup."
Used the loaf pan method described in the P.S. part.
Drizzled only about a third of the juices onto the loaf at then end.
The juices were cloudy and did not look all that good.

Here's what I got:

A loaf about the consistency of a brick, and it was sweet, which I
attribute to all those onions. You really can't readily tell it's made
of meat. I worked my way through it, rather than waste all that chuck,
but it's just hardly all right, only if I coat it with A-1 sauce.

You removed two wet ingredients without replacing the moisture as well as
using a lower fat meat than usual. Ergo brick.

As I understand it, you are a beginner. I think you-d do better to follow
recipes until you've some experience. What made you think that amount of
dried onion was the right amount to replace the onion in the recipe? Why
did you not rehydrate them if you insist on using them-- and I would NOT use
them. Might as well make Hamburger Helper if you use dried replacemnet
ingredients.