Bad Arse Meatloaf.
This recipe can be tweaked so many ways to suit your tastes makes it more of a guideline than a static recipe. It just what happens to be supper tonight (along with fresh green beans and mashed potatoes).
The success to this recipe is using bread and milk vice bread crumbs. It makes it super moist. You can substitute bison, pork, sausage, or ground turkey for any of the meat. You can add cheese such as feta, cheddar, havarti, whatever. Carrots, capers and whatever vegetable you like will work. I even wrap the loaf in bacon for a killer meal.
2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. canola or olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup small-diced red bell pepper
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
4 oz. medium-coarse white bread, such as Italian or French, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 cup whole milk
1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 large eggs
4 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbs. finely chopped jalapeņo pepper (seeded if you like)
1 Tbs. chile powder
2 lightly packed tsp. finely grated lime zest
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. ketchup mixed with 1 Tbs. pureed canned chipotle in adobo
Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add stout and let simmer till almost dry. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until warm.
In a shallow dish that holds it in a single layer, soak the bread in the milk, flipping once, until soggy but not falling apart, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the coarseness and freshness of the bread. Lightly squeeze a handful of bread at a time to remove some of the milk (it should be wet but not drenched). Finely chop and add to the bowl with the onion mixture.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
Add the sirloin, lamb and eggs to the onion mixture. Scatter the basil, jalapeņo, chile powder, lime zest, and cumin over the meat, and then sprinkle with the Worcestershire, 2-1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Use your hands to gently mix all the ingredients until just combined; try not to compact the mixture as you do this.
Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the baking pan and form into a 10x4-inch rectangular block (it becomes loaf-shaped as it cooks). Spread the chipotle ketchup over the top and lightly down the sides of the meatloaf to glaze it.
Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in the center of the meatloaf, 40 to 55 minutes.
Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter with a large spatula and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch-thick slices.
I got the idea of this recipe from Fine Cooking dot com (
http://www.finecooking.com/articles/cyor/meatloaf.aspx)
