Prison-Style Meatloaf

Pay no attention to this recipe's name. While it might seem a bit unappetizing, I assure you- if you've come looking for the best meat loaf recipe ever, look no further. While hunting for dinner recipes my mother came across this amazing recipe for a delicious, hearty meatloaf and after making it for the first time, it instantly became our official "go-to" recipe for meatloaf.

Incredibly flavorful, non-crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. This meat loaf is to die for. Just try it. Try it and tell me I'm wrong.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
salt to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups very dry white bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 cups tomato sauce, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt in hot oil and butter until onion is golden brown and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and cool onion mixture to room temperature.

Place bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add milk and stir with a fork until combined. Let sit until all of the milk is absorbed into the breadcrumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine ground chuck, cooled onion mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Grab a handful of breadcrumbs and squeeze very gently to remove excess milk. Repeat with remaining breadcrumbs, transfer breadcrumbs to ground chuck mixture, and discard excess milk. Stir ground chuck mixture until evenly combined.

Turn chuck mixture out into prepared baking dish, and shape meat into a 3x4x10-inch meatloaf. Pour tomato sauce over the loaf and into the bottom of the dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Source: [Chef John's Prison Style Meatloaf]

Texas Beef Chili

Another good one for hot or cold weather. I've had a hankering lately for some hearty, spicy, Texas beef chili. Now I know its the Texan way to eat the classic chili as beef-only with just the chili seasoning, but there are certain things you just can't give up. In my household cilantro is a must along with any of the other common chili toppings (sometime's I'll even add a dash of buht jolokia chili powder for that 'it-burns-so-good' experience'). That being said, this is one of the better beef chili recipes I've tried and was exactly what I was looking for. 

The only thing we found was that the cooking time wasn't long enough. Covered on a low setting, we let our chili cook for 2-3 hours total for maximum tenderness.

*We also added a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes and as a personal preference didn't add the corn meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup pure ancho chile powder
• 1 Tbs. Spanish smoked paprika
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 4 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups lager beer
• 1 cup beef stock, broth or water
• 2 Tbs. yellow cornmeal
• Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onions, sour cream and minced jalapeño chiles for serving

Directions

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and heat, stirring often, until toasted (you may see a wisp of smoke), about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and finely grind with a pestle (or use a spice grinder). Transfer to a bowl and add the ancho chile powder, paprika and oregano. Mix well and set aside. 

Cut the beef into 1/2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat. In batches to avoid crowding, add the beef cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. 

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil to the pot. Add the onion, jalapeño, bell pepper and garlic and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add the spice mixture, and stir well for 30 seconds. Stir in the beer and stock. Return the beef to the pot, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the beef is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

Remove the chili from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Return the pot to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Transfer about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to a small bowl, add the cornmeal, and whisk well. Stir into the chili and cook until lightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the chili into warmed bowls and serve hot, with bowls of Cheddar, onions, sour cream and jalapeños on the side for sprinkling on top. Serves 8. 

Variation: At the risk of making some Texans hoppin’ mad, add 1 cup cooked kidney or pinto beans to your chili and heat through just before serving. You can also add 1 cup or so of chopped canned tomatoes, but, again, don’t tell any Texans. Ancho chiles are relatively mild, so if you want a hotter chili, add some cayenne pepper. This chili is excellent served with corn bread or warmed tortillas to capture every last bit of the brick-red sauce. 

*Recipe Source William Sonoma Comfort Cookbook