Mini-Meatloaves with Brown-Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

Source: based on recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Mini Meatloaves:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 celey stalk, chopped fine
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/4 cup skim milk
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2/3 cup quick oatmeal
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Brown-Sugar-Ketchup Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider or white vinegar

Mix all glaze ingredients in small saucepan; set aside, reserving some sauce for the table.

For the meat loaf: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along oatmeal, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic, carrot and celery; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl.

With wet hands, pat mixture into a muffin pan. Once meatloaves are formed, turn out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350º loaf until meatloaves register about 155º, or about 20 minutes.

My notes: These mini-loaves cook up much faster than a large loaf and are fun to serve. They turned out moist and tender. Be sure to reserve half the sauce before you start to brush the raw loaves. This way you can heat it up to serve as extra sauce after the loaves are finished baking to pass at the table.

I talked about this recipe HERE.