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In my page, ‘a thing or two’ I mentioned that my mother never used an oven. She made her very popular meatloaf in a pot. Her meatloaf was very juicy and she would surprise us with different fillings she put inside, such as boiled eggs, raisins, or vegetables which add color accents. She never used bread crumbs or grated fillers as I have here with carrots and celery. Although unsure of her exact recipe, I created my own “Mom-Inspired Recipe”.
Meatloaf
1½ lbs lean, ground beef
½ med. onion (7 oz/200 gr), grated with liquid squeezed out
1 small carrot
1 celery stalk
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1½ eggs
3 Tbsp raisins
3 Tbsp caramelized onion
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 ~ 1½ cups hot water
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
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For the sauce:
2 Tbsp ketchup
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- In a food processor, first finely grate carrots and celery. Empty it in a medium bowl.
- In the food processor, grate the onion, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, spoon out the pulp and add to grated carrot and celery. (To mold the meat and be able to lift it, the mixture cannot be too soft).
- Add ground beef, 2 Tbsp of ketchup, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, black pepper, eggs and knead until all ingredients are mixed.
- Spread 18” (45cm) sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Put the meat mixture on the plastic wrap.
- Shape the meat to flat 6”sq (15cm sq). Spread the caramelized onion and raisins on a half side of the meat. Lifting short side of the plastic wrap, roll the meat and fold over the caramelized onion and raisins. Alternatively using the other end of the plastic as well, rolling back and forth, form a loaf.
- In a large/wide pot, add the oil and let it heat on medium-low.
- Place the loaf in the middle of the pot and put the lid on. As soon as the meat starts sweating, add 1 cup hot water and bay leaf. Let it simmer for first 30 minutes.
- At 30 min point, if the loaf looks firm enough, using two spatulas, carefully, as if rolling the meat from one spatula to the other, turn over the loaf. Use an ami-shakushi to skim foam off the liquid. If necessary, add some hot water. Put the lid back on and simmer for 30 more minutes.
- Transfer the loaf to the serving dish and strain the liquid into a small bowl. (Should be at least ½ cup)
- In the liquid, add 2 Tbsp of ketchup and ½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and pour over the loaf. (Or make a sauce by adjusting the ratio to your liking.)
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
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Bon Appétit!
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sweet mother of god that looks delicious Fae!
Thank you, Miss Kitchen Mason! It really was delicious!
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Love the raisins in this. The photo makes me want to run and make this NOW
Your Mom never used an oven? I’ll need to go read about that….
Hello Ms. J,
))) Sour cream was not customary, so yogurt was used, if preferred. Fae.
–It wasn’t until in her later age that my mother had an oven (not one but two) in her kitchen. She was not from a poor home, to the contrary. At the time my Mom was growing up 1920s~50s in Iran, and in her young adulthood in Japan in 50s~60s, it was not customary to have an oven in the home-kitchens. As a result, her repertoire/training was stove-top cooking, including making desserts. She learned her cooking from professional masters (both her uncle, who raised her, and my father when she married him, employed cooks). She never measured her ingredients and handled things quickly but did not rush, letting the food simmer/steam or fuse/meld. Flavors she created were amazing, which unfortunately, none of us three sisters can recreate.
–BTW, your Grandfather’s Belarusian Borscht is great. Check out my Borscht post. Mine is vegetarian-like with my twist (i.e. Balsamic vinegar). But, when my parents made borscht, they made it with an abundance of big cut bones (beef, in the Middle East pork is not consumed) and we sucked on the cooked bones for melted marrow after having the soup!
Looks soooooooo deliciousssssss. Are you thinking of shipping it to this part of the world, Fae??
It would be good fresh cooked! Thank you, Joseph.
I don’t eat enough red meat. I was going to make a burger but will try your mealoaf instead. I’ll put something inside to surprise myself as well!
(LOVE your stories.)
Hi Azita, Yes, one needs red meat!
Let me know how it turns. Thank you!
This is a great recipe and the meat looks so juicy. I think it is because of the use of the pot in lieu of the oven. Your mother was a wise woman!
Thank you, Francesca. You are right!
I love meatloaf and really like the idea of raisins in the middle. It must have a lovely savory sweet flavor. And I had no idea that meatloaf could be made on top of the stove…thanks Fae.
Yes, Karen. Raisins mixed with the caramelized onion really adds to the taste. Because the meatloaf is being steam-cooked it is very juicy.
I’m looking forward to trying your combination of flavors.
Oh, that does look delicious! Funny, today I decided to make a meatloaf for dinner. I went out to pick-up a few groceries, with a detour to the bookstore first. As usual, I spent a little too much time at the bookstore and made it home too late for my meatloaf! Wish we were neighbours!!
I wish you were my neighbor too! Tomorrow, we are having roasted chicken for dinner.
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This looks really yummy~ I love meatloaf~
I love meatloaf too!
Melt-in-the-mouth deliciousness!
That’s exactly what my husband said!
Your meatloaf looks so tasty and juicy!
Thank you, Ali.
Mmmh looks good!I love meatloaf and never came by a good recipe yet.Could you be the ONE?
You’ll know if you make it, Sweet Charlotte!
Challenge taken..look for my feedback next sunday!
Looks delicious Fae!! I just got done watching the Today Show and they had Martha on and they had her feature her Meatloaf as well. So I got to see two Meatloaf recipes today. But I can’t say who gets first prize as I love meat loaf… who ever makes meatloaf gets the prize!!
Chef Randall
This is very interesting…
You may know, at 12/noon there is a program called ‘The Chew’ on ABC.
As I was reading this comment, they had two home-cook viewer competing for meatloaf contest!
I wonder if today is a meatloaf telepathy day!?
This is such a great recipe Fae!! The pictures look so luscious! Another great recipe that I have to try soon
A simple thing to do with ground meat!
Raisins are an interesting twist to meatloaf! Looks delicious.
Yes,
))) be creative and put some surprises in the center.
Fae, there’s always such a lovely homey feeling about coming here! Good food, great stories and always love. I think Sam would love this meatloaf! Sharon
I’m so glad you feel this way. It needs a little tending, but it is worth it. The Precious One would like the raisins in the middle.
Fae.
mmmm looks yummy
An ami-shakushi! So THAT’S what it is called! Another eye-opener is that one CAN make meatloaf without an oven. It is always nice to pick up nuggets of info from you Fae
Thank you, Nat. The feeling is mutual!