From Peggy Trowbridge Filippone,
Your Guide to Home Cooking.
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Meatloaf, in some form or another, has been around since long before the advent of meat grinders. In the 1900s, meatloaf was not only a quick dish to prepare but also one that could easily be stretched with fillers. As a result, it has become one of America's comfort foods.

In today's gourmet and meatless society, updated meatloaf versions run from the exotic to meatloaf containing no meat at all. Even if you prefer Mom's standard tried and true version, you'll enjoy some of these meatloaf recipes.

Mom's Meatloaf Recipe

If you are like me, you probably enjoy meatloaf the way Mom always made it, usually a recipe handed down from her own mother. Of course, this varies from household to household.

Some cooks make it with ground beef, chopped onions, bread crumbs, an egg to bind it, and various spices. Others prefer a mix of ground beef, ground veal and ground pork in equal proportions. This latter method is so popular that many grocery stores sell meatloaf mixes consisting of one-third each of beef, pork, and veal all in the same package. Some top the loaf with ketchup or tomato sauce, while others top it with bacon.

There is no one true recipe for meatloaf, as you will see below. Most do include the addition of bread crumbs and egg as a binder to hold it together.

Reducing the Fat in Meatloaf

There are loaf pans on the market designed specifically for meatloaf which cooks the loaf on a rack nestled inside a pan so the fat drips off. However, there is no need to buy any special pan.

Purchase throwaway aluminum loaf pans. Punch holes in the bottom of one loaf pan. Fill with the meatloaf mixture. Place the punctured aluminum pan on a rack inside a larger baking pan. The fat drips through the holes and is caught in the larger pan. You can also use a bulb baster to suck up excess unwanted oil from the meatloaf as it cooks in a standard loaf pan.

More About Meafloaf and Meatloaf Recipes

• Meatloaf Cooking Tips and Hints
• Meatloaf Storage and Freezing
• Reducing the Fat in Meatloaf
• Meatloaf Recipes
_{Meatloaf Photo © 2006 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}