Turkey Meatloaf with Fancy Ketchup

Comfort food season is in full swing in our house. As I type I'm waiting to hear whether school will be canceled AGAIN tomorrow due to extreme cold. At this rate I'm afraid we will be in school till 4th of July. I'm also afraid this forced "vacation" is going to leave us all a little off our rockers. My 2 year old has not been outside in weeks except for regular treks across the Target parking lot. God bless Target and it's infinite supply of distractions from the polar vortex.

Soooo, it's clearly meatloaf weather. Turkey meatloaf that is. I have a love/hate relationship with ground turkey. I love to use it because it's a little better for you than ground beef or pork. On the other hand, it just doesn't taste as good! I ran across a recipe for a meatloaf of the turkey variety in a healthy cookbook from America's Test Kitchen. If anyone can figure out how to make turkey taste good, it would be these people.

This recipe turned out so good I had to remind my husband to leave me some of the leftovers. And I don't often eat too many leftovers except for pizza.

Though the key to making this a success is NOT baking it in a regular loaf pan. I used my 2 part meatloaf pan (similar to this) that has an insert with holes in the bottom for fat to drain from. The Test Kitchen describes a method of a folded piece of aluminum foil (to about triple thickness and approximately 6"x10") set on a wire cooling rack, poked with lots of holes by a skewer, and the whole thing set on a rimmed baking sheet. Then the meat mixture gets mounded onto the foil and shaped into a loaf about 2" thick. Either way works but the fat needs somewhere to go!

Perhaps my favorite part of this recipe is what ATK refers to as brown sugar-ketchup glaze. I have renamed it "fancy ketchup" and will continue to make it for all kinds of meat related endeavors. The original recipe calls for the glaze to be brushed on the meatloaf top before going into the oven and then again, half-way through baking. I skipped the half-way application and served the remaining ketchup along side the finished meatloaf with mashed potatoes. Heaven!

Stay warm....and sane!

~Erin

Turkey Meatloaf with Fancy Ketchup

Author: Erin (adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 70 mins

Total time: 1 hour 25 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. vegetable oil


• 1 small onion, minced


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 2 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces


• 1/2 c. whole milk


• 2 eggs, lightly beaten


• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard


• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce


• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 1/2 tsp. pepper


• 2 lbs. ground turkey (NOT extra lean or 99% fat free)


• 1/2 c. ketchup


• 2 T. light brown sugar


• 4 tsp. cider vinegar

Instructions

1. If you don't have a meatloaf pan, fold some aluminum foil to triple thickness and about 6"x10" in shape. Place foil on a wire cooling rack and poke lots of holes in the foil every 1" or so. Put rack on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. If you do have a meatloaf pan, also spray.


2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, lightly brown onions. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer to another bowl to cool.


3. In a large bowl, mash together milk and bread to form a smooth paste. Add onion mixture, eggs, Dijon, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir just to combine.


4. Add turkey to bowl and use your hands to mix until incorporated. Try not to over mix.


5. Either add meat mixture to meatloaf pan or to aluminum foil. If using foil, pat into a loaf shape approximately 2" thick.


6. Mix together ketchup, brown sugar, and cider vinegar. Divide "fancy" ketchup in half, spreading one part on top of meat and reserving the rest for serving.


7. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees.


8. Let rest for 20 minutes, slice and serve.

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