Meatloaf
- 2 lbs. ground meat (75/25, 66/33, 50/50 beef/pork—whatever the ratio, you need some pork)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup fine bread crumbs (I usually use Panko, but any kind will do)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
- 4-6 cloves minced/crushed garlic
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup milk or cream (big surprise, I like cream)
- 1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. ground cayenne (or ancho, or chipotle) pepper (or less if you want less heat)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 whole bay leaves
Glaze
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. honey
- Dash Tabasco sauce
- Dash Worcestershire sauce
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then add all the vegetables, spices, Tabasco, and Worcestershire, and cook down this mixture until the onions are translucent and things are beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan (about 10-15 minutes). Add the milk/cream and ketchup, and cook until the whole mixture is well-incorporated, reduced, and gooey (about 10 minutes). Then remove the pan from heat and set it aside to cool (you'll be touching it with your hands soon).
In a bowl, combine the meat, eggs, bread crumbs, and vegetable mixture (removing the bay leaves). Mix by hand until sufficiently combined. (But don't over-mix—his will make the meat mushy).
Then press the mixture into an un-greased loaf pan (or alternately, just form into a short, broad loaf on a baking pan). Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, then brush the glaze mixture over the surface of the loaf. Then raise the temperature to 400F, and cook until done (about 35 minutes longer -- use a meat thermometer if you have one available).