Meatloaf

🥘 Ingredients

• chicken stock ½ cup
• buttermilk ¼ cup
• unflavored gelatin ½ oz
• white sandwich bread 2 slices
• button or cremini mushrooms 4 oz
• anchovy filets 3
• marmite ½ tsp
• soy sauce 2 tsp
• paprika 1 tsp
• garlic 2 medium cloves
• onion 1 small
• carrot 1 small
• celery 1 stalk
• unsalted butter 2 tablespoons
• freshly ground pork 12 oz
• freshly ground beef 1 ¼ pounds
• eggs 2 large
• grated cheese 4 oz
• fresh parsley ¼ cup
• kosher salt 1 tablespoon
• black pepper 1 tsp
• ketchup ¾ cup
• light brown sugar ¼ cup
• cider vinegar ½ cup
• freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp

Prep

1. 1

   In a liquid measuring cup, combine chicken stock and buttermilk . Sprinkle unflavored gelatin evenly over the surface. Set aside.
2. 2

   Place white sandwich bread and button or cremini mushrooms in a food processor . Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
3. 3

   Add anchovy filets , marmite , soy sauce , paprika , and garlic to the food processor. Pulse to a fine paste, scraping down sides as needed.
4. 4

   Add onion , carrot , and celery . Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.

Building the Base

1. 1

   Melt unsalted butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until softened and liquid has mostly evaporated, 5 minutes .
2. 2

   Stir in the buttermilk-stock-gelatin mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 10 minutes . Transfer to the bowl with the mushroom-bread mixture, stir well, and cool until handleable, 10 minutes .

Mixing and Baking

1. 1

   Add freshly ground pork , freshly ground beef , eggs , grated cheese , fresh parsley , kosher salt , and black pepper . Mix gently with clean hands until combined and homogeneous — the mixture will be fairly loose.
2. 2

   Test seasoning: microwave a teaspoon-sized portion on high for 15 seconds . Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
3. 3

   Transfer mixture to a 9×5-inch loaf pan , pressing out any air pockets. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and refrigerate while the oven preheats.
4. 4

   Set oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
5. 5

   Without removing the foil, invert the loaf pan onto a rimmed baking sheet . Loosen and spread the foil, leaving the pan on top of the meatloaf. Fold up foil edges to trap the cooking liquid. Bake until the top feels firm, 30 minutes .
6. 6

   Slide the pan off the meatloaf using a thin metal spatula. Return meatloaf to oven and bake until center registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, 40 minutes more. Remove and rest for 15 minutes . Increase oven to 500°F.

Glaze

1. 1

   Combine ketchup , light brown sugar , cider vinegar , and freshly ground black pepper in a small saucepan . Cook over medium-high heat, whisking, until sugar melts and glaze is homogeneous, 2 minutes .
2. 2

   Brush meatloaf with a thin layer of glaze. Bake for 3 minutes . Glaze again and bake for 3 minutes . Glaze a third time and bake until glaze is bubbling and deeply browned, 4 minutes . Rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining glaze and mustard or ketchup.