When you have a bottle of good, old ketchup (and that does not happen a lot in our house), you start to think about what to make with it. Do people eat it any other way than dipping fries, chicken wings and ribs in it or putting on pizza, like it was tomato sauce? It turns out there is another world in which ketchup is used in the dish itself. And here the rule is – the cleaner the taste, the more original the recipe, the better the results.

Traveling the world, I have tried meatloaf in lots of places. From simple to twisted versions (I did try them in the right places), but none of them had the most crucial layer – ketchup. It was time to make my own. Actually, several of them before posting this recipe. A simple, yet flavorful recipe for meatloaf. It is effortless to make meatloaf. All you need is good meat (one type or a mix of your choice), eggs, soaked bread – simple ingredients – and ketchup (inside and out). Also, you need just over an hour to make it, and, believe me, it takes less time to eat it.

I love to serve it with bread, olives, and cheese as a starter. I also love to serve it with a salad of cucumbers and dill (inspired by my dinner at the restaurant Stand 22in Budapest) or any other salad.

Ingredients

600 g lean minced beef
400 g fatty pork (30 fat, 70 lean meat)
1 slice sourdough bread (85 grams), cut into small pieces
80 ml milk
½ tsp caraway seeds
40 g peeled, chopped red or shallot onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
60 g carrot (I do not peel them), pieces
50 g celery stalk, chopped
100 g peeled potatoes, grated
10 ml grapeseed oil
1 tsp sea salt or to taste
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
140 g”Maggi” original ketchup, divided in 2 (I used Maggi original)

Prepare

Place a rack in center of the oven and preheat the oven 180°C. Line a shallow baking dish with baking sheet.

Place bread into a bowl, pour over the milk, and soak for 15 minutes. In the meantime, blend caraway seeds to loosen the flavor, then add onion, celery, garlic, carrot, and pulse until finely chopped.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium, add the pulsed mixture, potatoes, and 1 tsp salt. Cook, occasionally stirring, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, scrape into the bowl with breadcrumb mixture (blend the mixture before), meat, eggs, 1/2 of the ketchup, remaining salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until fully incorporated.

Form meatloaf mixture into a long, well-packed, approximately 12 cm wide and 25 cm long loaf shape on the prepared baking sheet. Brush top of the loaf with the rest of the ketchup.

Bakethemeatloaf until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 68-70°C, approx. 60–70 minutes. Take it out and let it rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with more ketchup alongside. PS. Can be made three days ahead or wrapped frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s

In cooperation with Maggi

Simple meatloaf recipe