Nicki's Apple Meatloaf
My husband and I visited a restaurant on our honeymoon and fell in love with their apple meatloaf. I recreated the recipe at home after several tries, and I'm excited to share it with you!
My husband and I visited a restaurant on our honeymoon and fell in love with their apple meatloaf. I recreated the recipe at home after several tries, and I'm excited to share it with you!
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and chopped finely
- 2 medium onions chopped finely
- 1 small green bell pepper chopped finely
- 1 medium tomato chopped finely
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 5 slices bread chopped into small cubes
- 5 tablespoons apple cider or juice
- 2 tablespoons cream or milk
- 1 cup ketchup for topping
- Carbohydrate 19.0657755813483 g
- Cholesterol 89.6201770364616 mg
- Fat 22.9631077471986 g
- Fiber 1.54443717414691 g
- Protein 15.5959146538781 g
- Saturated Fat 8.75970414538094 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (191g)
- Sodium 452.777517892814 mg
- Sugar 17.5213384072014 g
- Trans Fat 5.65563297550599 g
- Calories 343 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with oil.
- In a small bowl combine bread cubes, apple cider, and cream. Let soak.
- In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add soaked bread cubes. Mix thoroughly.
- Divide mixture into two – shaping into loaves. This recipe makes two standard-sized meatloaves. I usually freeze one for a meal later in the month.
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until temperature reads 150°.
Soaking the Panzanella Base
Bread cubes must absorb the apple cider and cream fully before mixing to prevent dry pockets in the ground beef and pork mixture. Uniform hydration ensures the bread acts as a binder rather than isolated dry clumps. Cut the bread into uniform half-inch cubes for even liquid absorption.Freezing and Storage Logistics
Dividing the raw mixture into two loaves yields one for immediate baking and one for long-term storage. Wrap the unbaked second loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, to prevent freezer burn for up to three months. Thaw frozen loaves entirely in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours before baking at 350 degrees.Determining Doneness Safely
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest center of the loaf to verify safety without guesswork. Pull the meatloaf from the oven when the internal temperature hits 150 degrees, allowing carryover cooking to finish the process. Alternatively, piercing the center and observing clear juices running completely yellow indicates proper protein coagulation.
