I suppose it’s time to share my most requested recipe, although it’s not mine at all: Cook’s Illustrated’s Glazed All-Beef Meatloaf. It’s one of my favorite things to make it’s always rewarding to win over guests who have been damaged by a lifetime of dry, flavorless meatloaf.

Key features:
True meatloaf is made from a combination of beef, pork & veal. To achieve the same texture with only beef, Cook’s Illustrated figured out that adding gelatin mimics the unctuous qualities of veal. The loss in depth of flavor is compensated by adding chicken stock and by using a combination of ground chuck (80% lean) and ground sirloin (90% lean). If you can’t find both chuck and sirloin, just try to shoot for a mix that’s 85% lean. I’d err on the side of fattiness.

Be sure to evaluate doneness by internal temperature, not by the estimated cooking time. If you don’t have an electronic meat thermometer, it’s an excellent investment. It’s one of the most useful items in my kitchen, virtually eliminating the possibility of overcooked meat. The Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen (White) Instant Read Thermometer is the best on the market and worth the investment if you do a lot of cooking. If you’d like to spend less, there are several brands that are all about equal in quality and reliability. Get one that has a cord and probe so you can leave it in the oven, set the alarm for a specific temperature, and forget about it. Polder makes a decent one.

The cooling rack and perforated foil setup described below contributes significantly to the texture of the meatloaf. The perforated foil offers a way for the extra grease to seep away from the loaf and the elevated cooling rack allows heat to circulate around the mass of meat, maximizing the surface area available for the glaze.

Cooking rack setup:
Fold heavy-duty aluminum foil to form a 10 by 6-inch rectangle. Center the foil on a metal cooling rack and place the rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Poke holes in the foil with a skewer (about half an inch apart). Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Foil & Cooking Rack Setup

Glazed All Beef Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS
Meatloaf
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 medium rib celery, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (powdered)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers (about 14 crackers. I pulse them in the food processor)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground beef chuck
Glaze
1/2cup ketchup
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I like Crystal’s)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (grind your own for the best results…post on that to come)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use. Prepare baking sheet (per instructions above).

2. Heat butter in a large stainless skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.

Don’t forget about the cheese in the freezer! More than once I’ve found a plate of grated jack in the freezer the next day. The texture of the meatloaf will suffer from the omission.

3. Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble frozen cheese and sprinkle over mixture.

Combined Ingredients, except Beef

Add ground beef; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. (You want to work quickly, but not to overwork it or pack it too tight. I find that washing my hands in cold water and leaving them damp prior to forming the loaf helps.) Transfer meat to foil rectangle and shape into 10 by 6-inch oval about 2 inches high. Smooth top and edges of meatloaf with moistened spatula.

Meatloaf, pre-cooked

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove meatloaf from oven and turn on broiler.

Meatloaf, cooked, pre-glaze

4. While meatloaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meatloaf with rubber spatula; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 5 minutes. (I recommend leaving the oven door cracked open to avoid cooking the loaf any more than is necessary to brown the glaze. Also, if your broiler is electric, this will prevent it from cycling off.) Remove meatloaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Let meatloaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.

Cook's Illustrated Glazed All-Beef Meatloaf

Cook's Illustrated Glazed All-Beef Meatloaf, close-up

The result is a tender, moist and flavorful meatloaf that just may erase all those nightmares from your childhood. I like mine paired with quickly braised brussels sprouts, still al dente, and seasoned simply with salt and freshly ground pepper. The slight bitterness in the sprouts contrasts nicely with the vinegary sweetness of the sticky glaze.

Cook's Illustrated Glazed All Beef Meatloaf with braised brussels sprouts

[Original recipe via Cook's Illustrated Magazine, Jan 2006]