The History of Meatloaf and Ways to Eat It

One of my favorite dishes to make is meatloaf.  Besides being really easy you then have something to make meatloaf sandwiches with.  I was looking for the history of the meatloaf sandwich.  I didn't have much luck so here is the history of the meatloaf.

Patties or “loaves” of minced meat, mixed with a variety of ingredients, are part of many culinary histories. Germans hid boiled eggs inside meatloaf, the Romans enjoyed theirs made with wine-soaked bread, spices, and pinenuts, Medieval Europe served it mixed with with fruit, nuts and seasonings. Sometimes it was served hot, or wrapped in ham, or served cold with sauces, or was found jiggling in layers of gelatin.

little-known-facts-about-the-history-of-meatloaf


My favorite way to eat meatloaf:



7-tasty-uses-for-leftover-meatloaf


In case you want my recipe for meatloaf it is really simple.  Ground meat, can be beef, venison, pork, chicken, etc.;  bread crumbs or cracker crumbs or corn flakes; egg; tomato sauce.  Mix this all together, creative a mound and put in crockpot with sliced potatoes.  Pour tomato sauce over the meatloaf.  Cook until potatoes are done.

At culinary school, we were taught that meatloaf is a version of a French terrine, which often had things layered into them, like vegetable, hard boiled eggs, ham, etc. While I'm not found of meatloaf or terrines, it does make sense.

I think that American culinary tradition can be explained as mainly an obsession with ground beef, which I have never understood. These days, it's not particularly cheap, I can get top round, not ground, for less money, and it's more versatile. But, to each his/her own.

When you butcher a cow, you end up with a fair amount of ground beef even if you cut as many slow-roasts as possible. Just all these bits and pieces.

I haven't made meatloaf in ages - my husband is sensitive to oats, and that was always part of my recipe.  When we eat ground beef, it usually ends up as cheeseburgers.

Apparently there was an eBook by Robert Williams Cobb on 101 ways to reuse meatloaf called Meatloaf Madness (http://www.tastymeatloaf.com/), but the domain no longer exists, and I can't seem to find any archives of the eBook.
So, this video is what I could find left of it.



These sliders also look good



As well as these other recipes



I also saw this bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe that I think would be awesome with leftover meatloaf

When I was a kid, my mother made a meat loaf with a can of vegetable soup.  I have been wanting to make it and finally found a recipe!

This popular recipe dates back to the 1950s when convenience foods were becoming the rage and back-of-the-box recipes were popular. Obviously, the addition of a can of vegetable soup in a meatloaf mixture made for a delicious dish, as this recipe is still seen—and loved—today. This recipe is made with lean ground beef and condensed vegetable soup, along with onion and seasonings.

Vintage Vegetable Soup Meatloaf

Ingredients

   1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
   1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed vegetable soup
   1 egg (beaten)
   1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs, or 2 or 3 slices of bread (shredded)
   1/2 cup onion (chopped)
   Optional: 1/4 to 1/2 cup green bell pepper (chopped)
   Optional: 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
   1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
   1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steps to Make It

   Preheat oven to 325 F.

   In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together gently. Shape into a loaf.

   Place loaf in a shallow baking dish and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.

Tips

   This recipe may be so well-liked that leftovers won't be an issue, but just in case you have a little extra on your hands, you may want to keep a few leftover meatloaf recipe ideas in mind. From meat sauce for pasta to a filling for shepherd's pie, there are many ways to savor meatloaf besides just simply in a sandwich.
   Meatloaf gets a bad rap because it is often overcooked and dried out. To avoid this disappointment, use a meat thermometer to make sure you are removing it from the oven at the right time—the internal temperature should be 160 F. There are a few other tips you can follow to achieve a perfectly moist meatloaf every time.
   To make this a complete meal, surround the meatloaf with cut-up potatoes and other vegetables such as carrots. The fat from the meatloaf will help caramelize the vegetables and keep them moist during the cooking time.
   A tightly wrapped meatloaf—whether raw or cooked—will stay fresh longer in the freezer and may taste like you just made it when reheated.

Recipe Variations

   Add 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms to the meatloaf for additional texture and flavor.
   Add 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese or about 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
   Place slices of cheddar or mozzarella cheese on the loaf about 5 minutes before it's ready to come out of the oven.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetable-soup-meatloaf-3058305

The green pepper adds a nice texture and the mustard a bit of tang. The bell pepper and mustard are optional, but if you have in the fridge, consider using them for a more impressive dish.

I don't remember my mother using green pepper or mustard so I will probably leave those out.



Source

I like the vegetable soup recipes like my mother used to make though I also like this one by Alton Brown:

https://permies.com/t/152554/kitchen/Dinner-Meatloaf