Glazed All-beef Meat Loaf (cook's Illustrated)

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium celery rib, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1 lb ground chuck (or use 85% ground beef.)
• 21 saltines, crushed
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 degrees f and place oven rack in center of oven.
• 2 prepare your cooking pan by placing a cooling rack over a baking pan with sides, then cover with aluminum foil; poke small holes every half inch or so and spray with cooking spray.
• 3 place the grated cheese on a plate and place in the freezer until ready to use.
• 4 heat a skillet over medium high heat, add butter and cook until foamy; add onions and celery, cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
• 5 add in garlic, thyme, paprika; cook, stirring, about a minute.
• 6 reduce heat to low and stir in tomato juice; transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
• 7 in a large bowl, whisk together eggs and broth; sprinkle with the gelatin and let sit 5 minutes.
• 8 stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and the onion mixture; crumble frozen cheese over top.
• 9 add ground beef and mix with hands until combined.
• 10 transfer meat mixture to prepared foil lined pan and form into a 10 x 6 inch loaf (it should be about 2 inches high).
• 11 bake to an internal temperature of 135 to 140 degrees f, about 55 to 65 minutes; remove from oven and set oven to broil.
• 12 meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer.
• 13 stir until syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• 14 spread half the glaze over the meatloaf and broil until bubbly and beginning to brown at the edges; repeat with remaining glaze.
• 15 let sit 20 minutes before slicing.