Globecooking recipe : Mustard & Ketchup Glazed Meatloaf (USA)

Last month's Kitchen Trotter destination was the USA, which left me feeling a bit underwhelmed because most of the products and recipes were things that I was already familiar with. The main course, for example, was Meatloaf and I already have a simple but popular meatloaf recipe, which I recently tweaked, adding extra toppings for a Pizza-style Meatloaf. I'm always happy to give new versions of old favourites a try though, so I followed their recipe to the letter and was pleasantly surprised. The mild yellow mustard and sweet ketchup combine to give a distinct McDonalds flavour to the glaze, much to the kids' delight ! I love the cooking tip using slices of bread to soak up the excess fat too - genius !

 Mustard & Ketchup Glazed Meatloaf

ingredients :

700g minced beef

2tbsp Worcester sauce

1 egg

1 onion

100g dried breadcrumbs

235ml milk

4 slices of bread (optional)

drizzle of olive oil

1tsp paprika

1tsp cumin

1/2tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)

salt, pepper

25g soft brown sugar

30ml mild American yellow mustard

80ml ketchup

Preheat the oven to 180°. Finely chop the onion and fry it in the olive oil for a few minutes - it needs to be soft but not overcooked.

Put the minced beef in a bowl, along with the onions, milk, breadcrumbs and egg.

Toss in the spices and worcester sauce and give it all a good mix. The best way is to roll up your sleeves and get your hands in there - it's actually quite relaxing, like a giant stress ball !

This is the clever bit. Lay four slices of bread in the bottom of a roasting tin. To make the washing up easier, with hindsight I'd suggest putting a sheet of foil or baking parchment underneath.

Using your hands, transfer the meat mixture to the slices of bread and press it into a loaf shape. You can, alternatively, use a loaf tin, but this freeform version works just as well.

Time to make the glaze. In a bowl (I used the one that the meat had just come from to save on washing up), mix together the ketchup, mustard and sugar.

Spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf, making sure it runs down the sides too. 

Off to the oven for an hour !

See how the slices of bread absorb all the fat that runs out of the meatloaf during the cooking process? How clever is that ?!

Serve with rice or mash (I used up some root veg mash, with carrots, swede and parsnips) and vegetables.

*** Don't miss my country-by-country globecooking recipe index ! ***