Weeknight Meatloaf

This is a great side dish for those cold winter and fall days. Its hardy and the sprinkle of lemon juice and zest reminds me of nicer days ahead.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1  lb extra lean ground beef (500 grams)
2  slices of whole wheat or white bread whizzed to make about 1 cup of fresh
    breadcrumbs
1  egg
1  onion, small and finely chopped
¼ cup BBQ sauce or ketchup
1  tbsp tomato paste
2  tbs chopped parsley
    salt and freshly ground black pepper
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a meatloaf pan with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl combine extra lean ground beef, fresh breadcrumbs, an egg, onion, BBQ sauced, tomato paste, chopped parsley and salt and pepper.

Place the meat in the pan and gently pat it down to fit the form and make sure there are no air bubbles. Baste the top with the remaining BBQ sauce and put it in the oven.

Keep the loaf in the oven for 30-45 minutes until the meat is cooked through or until the meat reaches internal temperature of 71° C (160° F).

TIP DU JOUR:
I like using Italian parsley for cooking as it has plenty of flavour. Curly parsley is terrific as garnish, it is not as flavourful as the Italian variety.

Health Canada states that the colour of meat is not a reliable indicator that meat has reached a temperature high enough to kill the E. coli bacteria. They suggests to check the internal temperature of meat towards the end of the cooking time by first removing it from the heat and then inserting a food thermometer.

The internal temperature should be at least 71°C (160°F), at this time ground beef is safe to eat. Interestingly the internal appearance of it may vary from slight pink to brown, depending on a variety of factors, such as whether the ground beef was fresh or frozen, or how it was thawed.