Meatloaf

In this post I’m going to show you how to make a meatloaf in portions with a powerful flavor and soft texture, accompanied by a gravy or meat sauce and a homemade ketchup that you’re going to love. It is the typical meatloaf prepared in England and the USA, my recipe is a little lighter, I have avoided using flour and bread in the dough, it also does not contain egg and yet it is juicy and very appetizing.

We are already in spring and winter stews and stews begin to give heat and are not so appetizing, in the Mediterranean area where I live the temperatures are already rising and dishes that can be eaten warm or cold are starting to be my favorites, salads, cold soups, pickles, meats and fish prepared in a simple way, scrambled eggs, omelets, refreshing smoothies, all of them are part of my repertoire. Good weather is for enjoying and these types of recipes allow us to get ahead on the work and not have to spend so much time in the kitchen.

 

Cook this meatloaf in advance, it is even better the next day.

 

The meatloaf that I bring you today is one of those recipes, it can be prepared in advance, it is even better the next day, you can eat it warm, it does not need to be very hot, in fact the flavors are much better appreciated if it is not.

I have prepared it in portions, you control what you eat, I always emphasize this idea a lot, but I consider it fundamental, the portion you consume makes the difference, eating too much is a mistake and we have to use all the strategies we can to avoid it, cooking preparations in portions helps a lot, if you are aware of what is eaten and it is also much easier to serve.

 

Prepare the meatloaf in portions for better portion control.

 

I prepare this meatloaf all year round. The truth is that it is very popular at home and it is very practical, with a powerful flavor, low in carbohydrates and a pleasant texture. It is juicy thanks to the vegetables that are perfectly integrated into the dough. This is an advantage if children are going to consume it; they will not see them anywhere! The difficulty level of this recipe is low and the satisfaction of the result is very high.

To accompany it I always prepare two sauces, a gravy or meat sauce and a homemade ketchup, both are very easy to make and enhance the flavor of the pie.

 

 

In short, it is a healthy recipe, easy to prepare, moderately priced, low in carbohydrates, satisfying and that goes a long way, what more could you ask for?.

 

Origin of this recipe:

Curiously, we think that the meatloaf is a recipe of Anglo-Saxon origin because it is in the USA and England where it is commonly prepared, but its origin is European.

The oldest book where a preparation appears that is considered a precursor to the current meatloaf is De recoquinaria, attributed to Marcus Gauius Apicius, the oldest known cookbook, written in Latin, is a compendium of recipes that come from various authors between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, although the authorship of the book is attributed to Apicius, it is not entirely clear.

In fact, the version that has come down to us is later than the time of Apicius who lived in the 1st century AD, so he probably had his contribution, it is believed that two of the books that make up the collection are his, but what we know comes from a manuscript of the 5th century.

This work is considered fundamental to understand gastronomy in the Roman world.

The first edition that was made as such is from the second half of the 15th century (1483) also in Latin and the first translation was made into Italian.

Thanks to this we already know that this recipe has its origin in Europe, but how did it get to the US then? Well, it was the Pennsylvania Dutch, German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries who brought with them their customs, among which was a recipe called Scrappel, a dough made from pork (leftovers were used), corn, flour and spices, this recipe is believed to have evolved into the current meatloaf, although it is still used today.

You can find scrappel in the states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland where it has survived as such. In Ireland, Scotland, and England, there are also recipes similar to scrappel.

 

The current meatloaf prepared in the United States comes from a traditional recipe from German immigrants who arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries.

 

Why I like this recipe so much:

• You can make it in advance and keep it for several days.
• It is easy to make.
• Really filling.
• It is inexpensive and goes a long way.
• Make portions and control the servings.
• Take away!

 

 

Recipe summary:

Preparing this meatloaf is very simple, you only need pork and beef, I have put 200 gr and 300 gr respectively, some vegetables, red onion and carrot, but it also goes very well with leek, mustard, homemade tomato sauce and spices, I added garlic powder, cinnamon, white pepper and sea salt.

Mix everything very well and divide it into individual molds, a muffin tray is the perfect container.

Bake for 20 minutes at 180º and that’s it.

To accompany this dish I have prepared two sauces, a gravy or meat sauce and a delicious homemade ketchup.

Gravy is a concentrated sauce prepared with meat and vegetable juice.

It is originally from the United Kingdom and is also very popular in the United States.

It is used to accompany meats, mashed potatoes, rice and vegetables. It’s very tasty and greatly enriches the dish.

For the gravy I have used butter, concentrated beef broth and chickpea flour, for a paleo option you can use tapioca flour.

It is very simple, melt the butter in a pot and add the flour, this is about making a roux (a mixture of flour and fat used to bind a sauce), cook it a little, being careful not to burn it, keep stirring, use a wooden spoon, add the broth little by little, continue cooking over moderate heat and stirring at the same time, add all the broth, the sauce will be thick and smooth, correct the salt and that’s it.

Be sure to get the recipe below, try it, and let me know!

Remember this recipe is free of any grain flour, egg, or dairy, low in carbs, and if you use tapioca flour for the gravy, it’s also Paleo.

The Ketchup, I have prepared is a simple but very tasty recipe, get the instructions in the following link.

 

Take a look to the following recipes:

• Homemade Ketchup
• Healthy Homemade Gravy