Meat loaf cook off—and the winner is…

How do you make your meatloaf?  Do you make it with gravy or do you add a ketchup mixture on top?  Is your meatloaf moist and delicious comfort food or could it double as a weapon or building supply?

In my house I make two kinds of meatloaf.  My husband prefers the ketchup topped one and my son chooses the one covered in rich brown gravy.  Both are good if I say so myself so when my son came home from the air force for a visit I had a meatloaf cook off to settle the question once and for all which meatloaf is better.

I’m the judge, so maybe there is a little conflict of interest but it’s all in fun.  Admittedly they are both delicious.  (I told you there was a conflict of interest) So (drum roll please) which meatloaf won the cook off?

Rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat

It was hard, but the ketchup covered one was just a teeny bit tastier. These meatloaves pair well with mac and cheese or mashed potatoes.

The recipes follow: 

Ketchup style meatloaf

1 lb. Meatloaf mix (ground pork, veal and beef)

Breadcrumbs (about ¾ cup seasoned or unseasoned as you prefer or whatever you happen to have on hand)

½ small onion finely chopped

Clove of garlic minced

1 tsp. grill seasoning

1 egg

Dash of worcheshire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

In a small bowl combine about 1 cup of ketchup, a teaspoon of dry mustard and a tablespoon of brown sugar. 

Mix all the ingredients (except the topping) together and form into a loaf.  Place into a baking pan.  Mix together the topping ingredients and cover the top of the meatloaf with this mixture and place in a 350 oven for about 45 minutes.  Use a spoon to remove any dripped grease from the pan before serving. 

Runner up meatloaf:

1 lb. meatloaf mix

3/4 cup rolled oats (Yes oats, you won't even know it's there)

½ onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 egg

½ tsp grill seasoning

Dash of worcheshire sauce

Can of beef gravy

Mix all ingredients together and form into a loaf.  Place in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and spoon out any dripped grease from the pan.  Pour a can of beef gravy on top and put back in the oven for about 10 minutes.