Never Let Your Meat Loaf

The one thing you need to know about me is I am not a vegetarian, I enjoy the life of an omnivore. I understand the vegetarian lifestyle as it pertains to religious beliefs and do enjoy some veggie dishes, but for the most part I like meat.  Pork is my favorite. The pig is a noble beast that when in the right hands can be the most delectable of all the meats out there. On the same turn if you don't know how to handle the beautiful slabs of bovine it can turn into shoe leather or make you very sick. My suggestion is always have a thermometer on hand to make sure the piggies core temperature is 160 degrees before serving it to your guests.
Another thing about cooks and pork is the unexplainable need to serve it with applesauce every time they make it. I can't tell you how many different cuts of pork I have had and found a side of apple mush plopped down next to it. Stop please, we get it applesauce goes good with pork. Next time you make pork try something off the beaten path like a simple Rice Pilaf or Egg Noodles with sour cream and chives. Cornbread also makes a nice addition to the meal especially if Barbecue Sauce is involved. Pork is such a versatile meat that limiting yourself to what you accent it with is just plain lazy or unadventurious. Live a little, find side dishes you like and try putting them with your pork entrees.

We've all seen it, a big hunk of brown mystery meat in the loaf shape, Meatloaf. For some just to mention it sends chills up their spine or sees them run into the bathroom dry heaving. It's the Frankenstein of all meat entrees. We grew up on it, our Moms serving it with pride like it was their best meal. Most times it was a dry brick of beef and pork bound together by breadcrumbs or a messy giant meatball leaking fatty juices covered with catsup. Either way it seemed to be a dish your Mom threw together at the last minute because she really didn't want to cook all day or was tired. Beef, pork (if you were lucky), and catsup all wrapped up in brick form, yum.

Meatloaf is a canvas. It is a wide open space just waiting to be filled. May I suggest an alterenitive to your Mom's meatloaf?

Try mixing ground beef (or Turkey if you want to be healthy) with equal parts ground pork, one egg, a diced onion (yellow works best), 1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs, A-1 Steaksauce, with a tablespoon of Herbs De Provence. Lightly oil a Loaf pan and put half the mix in it. Create an indent in the mixture leaving 1/2 inch unchanneled on all sides. Place sliced cubes of Velveta cheese into the hollowed out section of the mix. Fill in the rest of the mix covering the cheese. Cover the top of the meatloaf with more A-1 sauce. Bake the loaf for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Let sit for 5 minutes and then serve. The cheese adds such a creamy texture and the A-1 makes the beef and pork so succulent and spicy you'll forget all about bland Meatloaf.

I suggest you serve your adult guests a dark beer or a deep red wine with your now awesome Meatloaf.

I hope you feel a little bit more comfortable when it comes to pork. No one should be affraid to cook anything. Pork can be a tasty deversion from beef and chicken. So as long as you treat it with respect the pork will be good to you.