Need help! Fix my meatloaf!

2

Replies

  • jenillawafer
    jenillawafer Posts: 426 Member
    Next time I'll be sure to follow these suggestions. I still have a slab leftover, so I'll probably drown it in marinara for din din tomorrow. :blushing:
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Next time I'll be sure to follow these suggestions. I still have a slab leftover, so I'll probably drown it in marinara for din din tomorrow. :blushing:

    You could crumble it up and mix it with spaghetti sauce and have spaghetti...or even make a goulash.
  • jenillawafer
    jenillawafer Posts: 426 Member
    Next time I'll be sure to follow these suggestions. I still have a slab leftover, so I'll probably drown it in marinara for din din tomorrow. :blushing:

    You could crumble it up and mix it with spaghetti sauce and have spaghetti...or even make a goulash.

    Brilliant, you are! I like the spaghetti idea. OMNOMNOMNOM.
  • blah2989
    blah2989 Posts: 338 Member
    Wow, compared to yours my loaf is fattening!!!
    I use 80/20%- lean/fat ground beef. Add a whole chopped onion, salt, pepper, a little tyme. Make a ketchup worchestersire sauce sweetened with sucralose. ( 1 tbsp worchestershire.) I mix just a little on to the meat, let it cook maybe 25-30 min, drain the fat, then add the sauce over it and put it in for another 1/2 hr - 45 min, pending your cooking temp. I usually put it in at 350.
  • sundog10
    sundog10 Posts: 1,528 Member
    bump; i want meatloaf for dinner
  • Grace4DebraAnn
    Grace4DebraAnn Posts: 124 Member
    I use half turkey burger and half turkey Italian sausage. I switch out sometimes I use oatmeal instead of bread crumbs. I used water, I use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup.. I use a couple of eggs as well. I do not put the sauce on the top till the last 20 minutes. Give that a try. Sounds good, might need to make it soon. Haven't had it for a while.
  • addiec1
    addiec1 Posts: 101 Member
    I agree on the zucchini suggestion. It makes it a lot moister and doesn't change the taste.
  • brraanndi
    brraanndi Posts: 325 Member
    My meatloaf is so simple.

    Its 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1/4 onion, 2 eggs and 1lb of 90% lean meat. About 20 min before done I top with ketchup ( was going to lie here and say something not ketchup but it's totally ketchup lol ) and it's never dry.

    I've never had to add butter or oil or anything, god knows why.
  • chrisweezorak
    chrisweezorak Posts: 2 Member
    I agree with adding more fat. Try using some Coconut oil.
  • tallgrl212
    tallgrl212 Posts: 14
    Not enough fat in the ground turkey (or sometimes I use chicken). Here's what I put in mine:

    2lbs ground turkey/chicken
    1/3 Cup Quick Oats
    2 Carrots (food processor)
    1Onion (food processor)
    1 egg (or 1 serving egg beaters)
    3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
    2 Tbsp Milk
    Salt
    Pepper

    The carrots and onion (I "food process" them almost to a pulp) help keep it moist. (Though I do miss the old days when I'd use, among other things, ground chuck, pork sausage, cornbread stuffing, etc. in my meatloaf)

    Good luck!:drinker:

    Yeah, turkey can be a very dry meat because it's low in fat. Adding veggies can up the moisture, also try adding a bit of extra virgin olive oil
  • Ampedette
    Ampedette Posts: 35 Member
    MOM...THE MEATLOAF..............*kitten*!!!!!!!!!
  • KCW37
    KCW37 Posts: 48 Member
    when i use turkey i add onions and use oatmeal instead of bread crumbs works like a charm
  • nicoleisback
    nicoleisback Posts: 184
    Add another egg. The moisture from the milk will evaporate too quickly
  • floridared
    floridared Posts: 52 Member
    This is my recipe. One pound of ground turkey, 2 large eggs, one packet of lipton onion soup mix (dry),1/2 cup of ketchup, 1 tsp of pepper. Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. Place well mixed turkey on wax paper that has been coated lightly with a little flour. Shape into a loaf and place in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish. You may need to re-shape slightly once in baking dish. IF YOU WANT TO TOP WITH A SAUCE MIX : Stir 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp Italian seasoning into 2 cups of tomato sauce and pour over loaf. Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for one hour. Cool five minutes before serving .:wink:
  • floridared
    floridared Posts: 52 Member
    I think you have ventured away from a good home baked meat loaf. To many ingredients. Just my opinion. Try my recipe and see how you like it.
  • jfurrrr
    jfurrrr Posts: 43 Member
    I recently read a recipe where it said to cook in a loaf pan and it will be more moist because the juices wont flow away from the loaf. I did it and it was true.
  • Jolynnwinnie
    Jolynnwinnie Posts: 2
    me too. I would do what u suggested. it is like mine.
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    NOT ENOUGH FAT! Add some pork (2-4 oz pork and 6-4 oz turkey) or use all ground dark meat chicken or turkey (instead of breast)

    EDIT: Ounce for ounce (raw weight), dark meat chicken (skinless) only has 3 more calories than white meat (33 vs. 30) ... better flavor and more moistness for only 3 more calories, it's a no brainer ...
  • jenillawafer
    jenillawafer Posts: 426 Member
    I think you have ventured away from a good home baked meat loaf. To many ingredients. Just my opinion. Try my recipe and see how you like it.

    That's the thing. I do not like the taste of regular 'homestyle' meatloaf.
  • FitCanuckChick
    FitCanuckChick Posts: 240 Member
    I would add more liquid - but rather than milk - maybe veggie broth or even water (or plain almond milk). And, one time I was making a meat loaf and I realized I had no bread crumbs. So I threw fresh bread in a mini chopper and ground it up (there were no chunks) - it adds alot of moisture. Now, I only use fresh bread.
  • teresamwhite
    teresamwhite Posts: 947 Member
    You need more fat. You can add an additional egg yolk to the mixture, or you can use a higher lean:fat ratio ground turkey. That should fix your problem with the dryness. There are also other options, such as adding olive oil or coconut oil to the mixture to add fat. But you don't want to change the flavor, just the consistency.

    Additional liquid will not change the consistency, BTW. The proteins are going to tighten up with the heat, and liquid is actually expelled during the cooking process...which is why grilled/roasted meats are juicier, and pot roast tends to be drier. It's the level of fat in the cut of meat that dictates juiciness or moistness. A dry pork chop soaked in broth is still a dry pork chop.

    (Personally, I don't put bread crumbs of any kind in my meatloaf, and I use a lot of pureed veggies (onion, carrot, celery and zucchini) for additional moisture.)
  • MissyPoo2013
    MissyPoo2013 Posts: 190 Member
    Bump!
  • jconnon
    jconnon Posts: 427 Member
    I didn't see this mentioned but a while back I starting making mine in the crockpot. I think it would work for most any recipe and it comes out great.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    I see 2 things that could make a difference.... First I typically use half 95% lean ground beef and half ground pork (not greasy, but not dry). And I use instant rice instead of bread crumbs, I found the bread crumbs really dry it out, especially if you have a lot of other ingredients in it.
  • kbeardmore22
    kbeardmore22 Posts: 283 Member
    bump for ideas
  • kathyloucc
    kathyloucc Posts: 1
    Use chopped onions instead of flakes. All of your dry ingredients is soaking up the liquid. I also add a little olive oil to make up for the turkey not having as much fat. And I do cover my meat loaf. And are you baking it too long?
  • MissyPoo2013
    MissyPoo2013 Posts: 190 Member
    Bump!
  • iquiltoo
    iquiltoo Posts: 246 Member
    I would increase the milk -- I use a 1 to 1 ratio of milk and breadcrumbs.

    ^^This. I made a meatloaf using a mix (I know, horrors!) and it called for a cup of milk (I think it was a full cup). It was almost the best meatloaf I have ever made, because it was so moist. It was also very salty, so while it was very delish, I won't be using that again (Clubhouse Meatloaf mix.) but I will surely be putting more milk in the turkey meatloaf I am making for supper tonight!

    eta: I usually use a package of stovetop stuffing for my meatloaf mix. Any old flavour - most of them work just fine but the one that started me using it was the Uncle Ben's Country as it used to have a recipe on the back. You just need to add a couple of eggs, and the milk. I am using a turkey stuffing for the turkey meatloaf tonight.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,552 Member
    I add low sodium tomato sauce to mine.
    Quick oats, green bell pepper, Mrs Dash, Brown onion.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Kinda off-topic, but here is the recipe my family loves (and yeah - it's a 'monster'):
    Ground beef
    Cream of onion soup
    Chopped green onions
    Minced garlic
    Pre-cooked rice
    Shredded cheddar loaded up in a trench down the middle then covered
    If I had French-fried onion rings I'd toss those in, too
    Bacon on top in a nice, decorative lattice pattern
    Barbecue sauce kinda' "painted" on top
    Lightly covered with foil and baked... Uncovered for last few minutes

    Delicious but likely the world's least healthy meatloaf! :laugh: :blushing:

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