Mighty Meaty Meatloaf
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Baby Bam, recipe follows
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2/3 cup fine dried bread crumbs
Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, salt, basil, thyme, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, and veal with a wooden spoon or with clean hands. Be sure to wash up afterward.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, ketchup, Baby Bam, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, and whisk to combine. Add the egg mixture to the meat mixture along with the cooled vegetables and bread crumbs. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. Using your fingers or the back of the wooden spoon, smooth the top into a rounded loaf shape. Wash hands again.
To make the glaze, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, if desired, in a small bowl. Stir to blend. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Using oven mitts or pot holders, carefully tilt the pan away from you and drain off the excess grease from the pan, An adult should help you here. Be careful, hot grease can really burn. Slice to serve.