Meat loaf

Meatloaf is a dish of ground meat that has been mixed with other ingredients and formed into the shape of a loaf, then baked or smoked. The final shape is either hand-formed on a baking tray, or pan-formed by cooking it in a loaf pan. It is usually made from ground beef, although lamb, pork, veal, venison, poultry and seafood are also used.

Ingredients

The meat is mixed with a binder such as eggs and breadcrumbs or other cereal, along with some kind of onions, herbs, and spices. Some recipes add strips of bacon on top for additional flavor. The loaf can be filled with vegetables, cheese, or other ingredients.

Variations

There are many variations of meatloaf worldwide. In the United States, meatloaf is often served with ketchup or another kind of sauce. The meatloaf sandwich is a popular leftover dish. In Germany, meatloaf is known as Leberkäse and is often served in a roll with mustard. In the United Kingdom, a similar dish is known as Haslet.

History

The concept of meatloaf has European origins; meatloaf of minced meat was mentioned in the famous Roman cookery collection Apicius as early as the 5th century. Meatloaf is a traditional German, Scandinavian and Belgian dish, and it is a cousin to the Dutch meatball. American meatloaf has its origins in scrapple, a mixture of ground pork and cornmeal served by German-Americans in Pennsylvania since Colonial times.

See also

• List of meat dishes
• List of smoked foods