Creole Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

We had some burger out for another dish and Bev decided to make it into meatloaf, but different than her normal – she especially wanted one with tomato gravy.  After a look at the internet and my files, we found the good sounding recipe for Creole Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy from Mary at Deep South Dish.  After making it per the recipe plus one carrot with the other veggies, Bev decided it needed a little more flavor for our taste and she added a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce and some sun dried tomatoes.

Creole Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

Adapted from Deep South Dish

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. of very lean ground beef

1 tbsp. of butter

1 medium onion, chopped fine (Bev used the food processor for the veggies)

½ cup of green bell pepper, chopped fine

1 stalk (rib) of celery, chopped fine

1 carrot chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine

¼ cup of canola oil

2 tbsp. of all-purpose flour (for the roux)

1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce

1 can of water

1 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce

½ cup of evaporated milk

1 large egg

½ cup of seasoned bread crumbs (she used Parmesan Herb Panko)

½ tsp. of kosher salt

¼ tsp. of freshly cracked black pepper

Pinch of cayenne 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ground beef in a large bowl; set aside.

Heat the butter over medium and cook the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and celery until tender; add the garlic, cook for another minute, transfer to a plate to cool.

SAUCE: Wipe out the skillet, and add the ¼ cup of canola oil. Heat over medium high and stir in the flour. Cook and stir until it is browned, remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire and return to the heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Whisk together the milk, egg, and Worcestershire; stir in the bread crumbs and add that mixture to the ground beef. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne and veggies; mix gently and add more bread crumbs if it’s too moist - nuke a sample and give it a try – this is when Bev actually added the worsey sauce, sun dried tomatoes, and more salt.  When the taste suits you shape into a loaf or add to a pan.

Bev cooked it in a slotted bottomed bowl sitting in the pan of gravy and topped with gravy - it's ready for the oven with a few more carrots in the sauce – a must have for Bev.

Bake uncovered until an internal probe thermometer reads 150* -155* (or more done if you like), and Bev basted once about 3/4 of the way through the cooking process (several bastings needed for a free standing meatloaf).  Rest for about 10 minutes, slice, and serve with the tomato gravy spooned over the top.   We added some fresh baked rolls and called it a meal.

We all thought it was a very good meatloaf and would definitely make it again.  Since Bev used 85% lean ground beef, she had to skim the grease from the gravy top prior to serving and we would it as a stand alone for other dishes.

I'm now responding to your comments and hoping you will stop back by - photos best if enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

11/03/12 meal date