Ask A Denver Chef: 5 Mouth-Watering Meatloaf Recipes

When you think of meatloaf, what do you picture? Is it a stale, dry hunk of meat with no flavor, or a comforting memory of a dish your mother made for the whole family? That's the great thing about a dish like meatloaf — there are so many different ways to cook it, and each family has its own traditions and recipes for the iconic dish that have been handed down through generations. "When I think of meatloaf, I think of the way my mom made it," offers co-owner and chef of Denver's Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery, Clint Wangsnes. "Now, of course, I make meatloaf on a different level, based on a recipe that my mentors taught me, so that is my new favorite, but the memory from my mom is still there."

Clint Wangsnes
Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery
4990 E. Colfax
Denver, CO 80220
(720) 550-7665
www.coloradochopshop.com

If you've never tried the meatloaf at Chop Shop in Denver, then you definitely need to make plans to try it right away. Wangsnes has created an elegant variation on the traditional meatloaf, one that takes a lot of preparation and very careful attention to the ingredients and technique. The meatloaf at Chop Shop is a grilled bacon wrapped meatloaf with homemade mango barbecue sauce, and it's packed with totally unique flavors with lots of depth to each bite. Due to the technique involved in creating this amazing dish, it's tough to replicate at home, but Wangsnes has offered a similar "kicked up" meatloaf recipe below, as well as a few techniques and variations that you can use to make a memorable meal for your family. However, be sure to visit Chop Shop to get a taste of what this incredible meatloaf is like when in the hands of Chef Wangsnes.

Classic Meatloaf

If you're looking for the traditional meatloaf recipe, the one like mom used to make, this should get you pretty close. Depending on your traditions, you may have a few different ingredients or substitutions, but this is one of the more classic recipes for a standard weeknight meatloaf just like your mom or grandma used to make. Keep in mind that your meatloaf is only as good as the ingredients you use, so make sure to load up on really fresh vegetables and meats to get the best taste possible from this recipe.

Ingredients

• One and a half pounds ground beef
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup ketchup
• One and a half teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• One small onion, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground ginger
• ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Press brown sugar in the bottom of a lightly greased loaf pan.
2. Spread ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and shape into loaf.
4. Place loaf on top of ketchup in loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350 for one hour.

Related: Ask A Chef: Top Breakfast Casserole Recipes

Onion Meatloaf

This is another fairly traditional meatloaf recipe, but it uses a different common household ingredient. If you've never tried adding onion soup mix to your meatloaf, then you're missing out on a huge addition of flavor. The dried seasonings and onions add a lot of flavor, and its something you can easily keep in the pantry for a quick and easy weeknight meal. The best part is that you can use this mix instead of chopping onions, so the preparation to get dinner in the oven is a whole lot faster.

Ingredients

• One package dry onion soup mix
• One and a half pounds ground beef
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
• Two eggs
• ¾ cup water
• 1/3 cup ketchup

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Shape in a loaf and press into a loaf pan or roasting pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour or until done.

Kicked Up Meatloaf

If you're looking to re-create something a little more similar to the incredible flavors of the meatloaf at Chop Shop, then you'll love this recipe. The unique flavor comes from something called Garam Masala, a spice blend that is most common in North Indian and South Asian cuisines. You should be able to find Garam Masala at your local specialty spice store, but if you can't find it, this recipe will still be delicious even without those unique spices. The same goes for the mango barbecue sauce — if you can't find a mango one, then just use your favorite sweet barbecue sauce to amp up the flavor of your loaf.

Ingredients

• One and a half pounds ground beef
• ¼ cup diced white onion
• ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
• ¼ cup diced celery
• Two cloves diced fresh garlic
• Two tablespoons butter
• ¾ teaspoon Garam Masala
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
• Pinch Italian seasoning
• One egg
• ¼ cup mango barbecue sauce (or any sweet store-bought barbecue sauce)
• ¼ cup ketchup
• Two tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Combine celery, onions, garlic, peppers, Garam Masala, Italian seasoning, and half of the salt & pepper with butter.
2. Sautee in a large pan until translucent.
3. Set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients, then add the prepared mix once chilled.
5. Mix thoroughly then cover with plastic wrap before allowing to sit overnight.
6. Spread into a lightly greased loaf pan.
7. Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour, until juices run clear.

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Kicked Up Meatloaf With Bacon

Everything goes better with bacon, right? Using the recipe above, you can create an additional layer of flavor and texture with some applewood smoked bacon. Visit your local butcher and specifically seek out the applewood smoked variety, as it's going to give a lot of additional flavor to your meatloaf, and get you even closer to the flavor of what you can find at Chop Shop. The recipe is the same as the Kicked Up Meatloaf, but the technique is going to be a little different.

Directions

1. After you've let your meatloaf sit over night, you'll start by layering the bacon down in a lightly greased loaf pan.
2. Line the entire bottom of the loaf pan with bacon, then layer the meatloaf on top of the bacon, folding in the ends as you layer.
3. You may need toothpicks to secure the bacon once all the meat is in the pan.
4. Place the loaf inside a double boiler (to prevent the bacon from burning) in the oven.
   Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour, checking often to make sure the bacon doesn't burn, but the meatloaf is cooked thoroughly.

Leftover Meatloaf

Leftover meatloaf can be incredibly boring, but with one small cooking technique, you can transform your leftovers from last night's meal into another night of deliciousness. The trick is to slice your meatloaf, then sear it on a hot grill before serving. You can use an indoor grill, or go outside on a barbecue grill, but you'll want to make sure that you sear it well on both sides. Not only will this re-heat the meatloaf, but it will duplicate that great crispy texture you get when you have a fresh meatloaf right from the oven. Use just a little butter on the grill, then sear your slices well and you've got the perfect meatloaf for a second dinner or to add to a sandwich for a new dish.

Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.