Shelly's Recipe

ALL-AMERICAN MEATLOAF

Category: Meatloaf

3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 rib celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp ketchup, divided
4 1/2 tsp dry mustard, divided
8 oz ground pork
8 oz ground veal
8 oz ground round
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Tabasco or to taste
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary, plus more needles for sprinkling
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings

Preheat the oven to 400. Set a wire baking rack in an 11-by-15-inch or 11-by-17-inch jellyroll pan. Cut a 5-by-11-inch piece of parchment paper and place over center of rack to prevent meatloaf from falling through.

In a food processor, place bread. Process until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds. Transfer crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic and parsley to the food processor. Process until minced, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Transfer vegetables to bowl with the bread crumbs. Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tsp dry mustard, pork, veal, beef, eggs, salt, pepper, Tabasco and rosemary. Using your hands, knead the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Do not over-knead. The texture should be wet but tight enough to hold a free-form shape. Form an elongated loaf covering the parchment.

In a bowl, place the remaining 3 tbsp ketchup, remaining 2 1/2 tsp mustard and brown sugar and mix until smooth. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the glaze over loaf. In a medium saucepan over high heat, add oil. When oil is smoking, add red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the water has evaporated. Transfer onion to a bowl to cool slightly. Sprinkle onion over the meatloaf. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle reserved rosemary needles on top. Continue baking loaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees, about 25 minutes more. Let loaf cool on rack 15 minutes.