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Solving the Mystery of Meatloaf’s Enduring Appeal

A couple of Fridays ago I went out to dinner with friends to a local restaurant, something I do most Friday nights. I love this restaurant’s regular menu, their specials menu, and, often, their old person’s menu, also called the early bird menu. On that particular evening, meatloaf was offered as a special.

When I placed my order with Kelsey, our usual waitress, she looked sad.

They were out of meatloaf, she said. Sold out.

I was sad, too.

Did you ever wonder why anyone would choose meatloaf at a restaurant?

Truth be told, most people love to complain about meatloaf. They don’t like their parent’s meatloaf, or spouse’s meatloaf. I don’t even like my own meatloaf, which I make with ground beef, Stove-Top stuffing, an egg or two, and ketchup. I just make it for meatloaf sandwiches, which I do love.

So the enduring allure of meatloaf is a conundrum, an enigma, even.

What’s the diff? A conundrum is a difficult question or riddle. An enigma is something mysterious and inexplicable. Winston Churchill called Russia “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” And so why does meatloaf sell out when offered as a special, when so many people complain about it?

Here’s how to solve the mystery of the meatloaf: Find a recipe that works. Quite simply, most people want meatloaf that doesn’t taste like a meat brick.

This recipe from Food Network calls for adding sautéed vegetables to meatloaf. I changed it up a bit, and it was just delicious as an entrée, and cold as a sandwich

Lee White of Old Lyme has been a food editor and restaurant reviewer for more than 25 years. You can email her at leeawhite@aol.com.

Sauteed Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

Adapted from Food Network’s Bobby Flay’s Throwdown

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, finely diced

1 medium orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded, finely diced

½ large sweet potato, peeled, finely diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

5 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 pounds ground chuck (or combination of beef, pork or veal)

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

½ cup freshly grated Romano or parmesan cheese

1 cup ketchup, divided

½ cup balsamic vinegar, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and sweet potato and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute or two. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together eggs and herbs. Add meat, crumbs, cheese, half the ketchup, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a large oven-proof glass pan or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (I always mold my meatloaf like a flattened oval, so everyone gets some of the tasty crust.)

Whisk together the remaining ketchup and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and brush the mixture over the entire loaf.

Bake the meatloaf for approximately about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool, 10 to 15 minutes, before slicing.