American-style meatloaf

[LindaWhit]

@Harters

That was our first dinner of the trip and the food quality just continued throughout (including one place suggested by my longterm friend here, and Chowhound, LindaWhit)

Fond memories of your visit and getting to meet you and the spousal unit, John (along with @GretchenS!)

[shrinkrap]

Good read! Im curious; what makes plum ketchup OK, but not ketchup?

[LindaWhit]

Here’s the recipe for Plum Ketchup. I just prefer the sweet, tangy spiciness of it vs. the tomato-based ketchup flavor.

Plum Ketchup

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)]

@LindaWhit

Here’s the recipe for Plum Ketchup.

Good grief. Just how big are plums in the US? That recipe wants 1.5lbs of them, suggesting that’ll be 5 or 6 medium ones. I’d need getting on for a dozen of the size we have in the UK to make that weight.

[LindaWhit]

@Harters

Good grief. Just how big are plums in the US? That recipe wants 1.5lbs of them, suggesting that’ll be 5 or 6 medium ones. I’d need getting on for a dozen of the size we have in the UK to make that weight.

Black plums (which I prefer to use in this recipe) can be quite large - so yes, 6 of them (I always use 8 plums to the rest of the ingredients) would be appropriate for this recipe. I prefer the Black Beauty or Black Splendor plums as noted in this link:

Types of Plums: Black, Red, and More Varieties (With Pictures)

[shrinkrap]

Thank you! You are reminding me to use the two jars I still have from last year. It was my first time making it after I was “gifted” with a few pounds of plums.

I've got a lot of plums!

More plums! When my benefactor brother by, I offered her plum jam…but she didn’t seem to understand! I’m doing plum catsup https://www.tencansbeans.com/home/2018/7/25/plum-ketchup and butter this time… The butter recipes seem so simple. .and syrup, and wine. Wine seems easy too. This "wine " uses vodka.

Uh oh…Caught up in a loop of plum posts.

I don’t make meatloaf often but I find one meatloaf easier than fifty meatballs. Salisbury Steak is sort of a compromise between the two.

Loving the types of plums link.

[Sasha]

@LindaWhit

Meatloaf, to me, is not a recipe. It’s an “open the cabinets and see what works together depending on what’s calling you at that very moment” type of meal.

@shrinkrap

I find one meatloaf easier than fifty meatballs.

Yes and yes. Based on this thread, wfd tonight is meatloaf! I used to bake it in a bread loaf pan, but realized after a couple of times it always did end up sitting and cooking in its juices. Nothing wrong with that, but I like the caramelization that happens with free form. Crunchy outside, moist inside. So now I do it that way. Meatballs will of course give you much more of that textural contrast, but they’re a lot more work to roll and fry (my method).

Also, for reasons unclear, my meatballs are almost always only meat, egg, some type of starch binder (just a bit), and onion/garlic. Whereas my meat loaf is the kitchen sink, including all of the above but more starch, Worcestershire, mustard or ketchup or bbq (inside and as a glaze) and plenty of sauteed minced veg. Usually mirepoix plus red bell pepper. Often the starch binder is crumbs at the bottom of a cereal box or a potato chip bag. As long as what you put in is flavorful, it is as good a vehicle to use up odds and ends as anything.

[Sasha]

One of these times, I’ll put together a meatloaf on tin foil and try to smoke it. Anyone done that before? I bet it would be delicious.

[bbqboy]

Bacon Wrapped Smoked Meatloaf | TX Foodie

I never have but googling brings up hundreds.
Definitely report back.

[BKeats]

@Harters

Good grief. Just how big are plums in the US?

It’s like everything else. Everything in America is bigger! Including the people.

The variety of standard plums we have in the states is 2-3 times bigger than the types I remember from Europe. At the farmers market we go to, they often have what they call Italian plums that are on an inch or so across. Very nice contrast to the often tasteless larger American variety breed for its ability to be shipped long distances.

[BKeats]

I make a bbq very similar to that. Make a lattice of bacon that I wrap around Italian sausage meat and smoke. It’s phenomenal.

[Sasha]

I will. It may be a minute, since we are doing meatloaf tonight but I’m not mentally prepared to do it in the smoker…

[BierMonk]

I Germany “Falscher Hase” Fake Rabbit. Bacon Wrapped and Egg Stuffed

[Sasha]

I’m pretty meh on plums in the US. Pluots, however, can be absolutely transcendent. @Harters do you guys have pluots? They’re a plum/apricot hybrid, and come in a dozen or more varieties, with fun names like flavor grenade and dino heart. I rarely see them at the grocery store, but they are find-able in farmers markets. California has a particular abundance, in my experience.

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)]

@Sasha

@Harters do you guys have pluots

I’d never heard of them so had to Google. Trees are on sale for home planting but it doesnt look as though there is commercial growing.

[Sasha]

Too bad. Perhaps they need a hotter climate to thrive. Next trip across the pond, you should look for them here. They are delightful. But it’s seasonal. I would say July through Sept.

[shrinkrap]

@Sasha

Pluots, however, can be absolutely transcendent.

Agreed ×100! I just made some pluot shrub because it’s hard not to buy (or grow) too many!

[Sunshine842]

I’ve also made meatloaf in an air fryer…using the fry basket allows for a crust without the fat bath

[Sasha]

That is a gadget I don’t own. Yet

[Sunshine842]

I wont go into detail lest someone split us off into a separate convo, but I didn’t think I’d use it when I was gifted one but I rather like it. Not as much as my instant pot but handy to have