Sunday, April 15, 2012

Tantalizingly Tangy Meatloaf



 Perhaps it’s because I have such a fondness for cheeseburgers (dare I mention that it is my favorite food?), that I also have a fondness for meatloaf.  There is something so wonderfully comforting about both the making and eating that I am continually on the quest for new recipes.  For something seemingly so simple, there are a lot of variations.  The one I tried today contained an ingredient that I have to admit I’ve never used in meatloaf before, pineapple, but the results were delicious.  The meatloaf was moist and flavorful, and not overly seasoned to allow the sweet and tangy glaze to act as the perfect complement.  I scooped up what fell into the pan to use atop the meat like a relish.  Succulent!

Tantalizingly Tangy Meatloaf
Based on a recipe from allrecipes.com

1 pound ground chuck
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
Garlic powder to taste
1 dash Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 small can crushed pineapple

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.  In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, and pat into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  (You’re not finished, stick with me here.)

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar and pineapple. Cook over medium heat until a lot of the liquid has evaporated.* Pour glaze over the partially baked meatloaf and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from pan to a cutting board using a spatula (or two).  Allow to rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.

*The original recipe called for pineapple preserves. I found them to be quite elusive, so chose to make it this way instead.  Essentially you want a thick-ish glaze for the meatloaf, so you can cook it down until it becomes a consistency that suits you.




 For more wonderful meatloaf recipes, check out this book:

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is new to me. Love to try it. It looks delicious.
Pat

Lyndsay Wells said...

I love the addition of pineapple!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Very intriguing with the pineapple glaze - I can imagine how good it would be!

Tracy's Living Cookbook said...

I love this flavor combination: I bet my family would balk at the thought of pineapple in meatloaf, but I would love it!

Diane Balch said...

Classic meatloaf recipe, with a twist.. like the pineapple. Please share this on my foodie friday linky today.

Girl With Chalk said...

Interesting! I wonder what a little Teriyaki Sauce would have brought to this dish! I love meatloaf too, I bought ingredients to make it tomorrow (meatloaf is my go-to easy cooking dinner)...sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!

Adelina Priddis said...

interesting with the pineapple. Hubs loves meatloaf, so I'll be giving this a try for sure!