CookTeaser

Serves Many

A CookTale

Rather than going into poetic raptures about how I discovered this wonderful recipe, I’m simply going to transfer it directly from the Cook’s Illustrated recipe originally published years ago. It has served us well for as long as I can recall. Try it, you’ll like it!

INGREDIENTS Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

1/2 C Ketchup or Chili Sauce
4 TB Brown Sugar
4 tsp Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar

INGREDIENTS For The Meat Loaf

2 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped medium dice
2 medium Garlic Cloves, minced
2 large Eggs
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 C whole Milk or plain Yogurt
1 lb ground Beef Chuck
1/2 lb ground Pork
1/2 lb ground Veal
2/3 C Saltine crackers, crushed (about 16), or quick oatmeal, or 1-1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 C minced fresh Parsley Leaves
6-8 ounces bacon, thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the glaze: mix all ingredients in small saucepan, set aside.

2. For the Meat Loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add Onion and Garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

3. Mix Eggs with Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Pepper Sauce, and Milk or Yogurt. Add Egg mixture to Meat in large bowl along with Crackers, Parsley, and cooked Onion and Garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and Meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional Milk or Yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)

4. Turn Meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the Glaze, then arrange Bacon slices, crosswise, over the Loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only Bacon tip ends under loaf.

5. Bake Loaf until Bacon is crisp and Loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining Glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice Meat Loaf and serve, passing extra Glaze separately.