Spicy Loaf of Meat

In the history of the world’s most unappetizing food names,
meatloaf has got to be up there.

But it’s a classic case of not judging a book by its cover – or name, or whatever- because meatloaf, when made right, is pure deliciousness.

And meatloaf has a surprising history. It has been with us since ancient Rome, to medieval Europe and through the Great Depression.

And it’s beloved by cooks for its versatility. As the Atlantic put it “There is no one way to create meatloaf: It’s precisely this capacity for re-invention that’s allowed the iconic mélange to keep in step with the ebb and flow of American life over the last century.”

That’s some real fancy words for a loaf of meat. But it sure rings true. Meatloaf follows all the pillars that I believe makes for good cooking: It’s relatively simple to make, it’s inexpensive and can feed a lot of people, it’s open to interpretation and experimentation, and it’s delicious. Meatloaf is one of the rare foods that’s accessible to everybody. (Well, except a vegetarian I guess).

Here’s my version for nice loaf with a good kick to it.

How Much Time: 20 minutes prep, 1 hour cooking

• ½ chopped onion
• ¼ cup of chopped jalapeno
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 chopped poblano peppers
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup shredded gouda cheese
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• ½ tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• Loaf pan

What You’ll Do:

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix them together. By hand works best, but feels gross. Mix everything evenly.

• Transfer into a loaf pan, and shape the meat into well.. a loaf?
• Bake in the oven for an hour.