Killer meatloaf

I have never been a fan of meatloaf until I tasted really, really GOOD meatloaf.  I learned that it’s all in the ingredients and that I shouldn’t hate the dish for its reputation (and the fact that I had no taste for it as a kid).

My mind was changed by the best meatloaf recipe I’ve ever tasted in my life.  Actually, the two recipes below come from the same source; a New York Times article having to do with the director of the movie Julie and Julia (excellent movie).

Fancy Meatloaf
This recipe is the better of the two.  I went all out with this one, and it was worth it.  I can honestly say that this is probably my favorite thing to eat of all time.  I mean, better than ice cream, and that’s saying something.  I like this meatloaf dish better than anything I’ve ever had in a restaurant.  What makes this dish delicious besides the veal and ground beef (I highly suggest using grass-fed beef) is the pancetta and the Italian bread.  The bread, cut into larger chunks than usual, isn’t used in the form of bread crumbs that congeal the ingredients; rather, the bread acts like the marshmallows in Rocky Road ice cream and is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Use a good quality Italian loaf, and you won’t regret shelling out a little for this recipe.

Turkey Meatloaf
This second recipe is also ridiculously good, especially when you find out it’s made with ground turkey as well as ground pork.  It comes with an accompanying tomato sauce that makes this recipe slightly more traditional.