# Meatloaf Question



## maddy (Oct 30, 2010)

I'm pretty new to cooking, and today I made my first meatloaf, using a pretty basic recipe. When I removed the loaf from the oven and cut a slice, I could see that there was quite a bit of grease pooled at the bottom of the pan--maybe as much as a quarter cup. This surprised me--especially because I was using grass-fed beef. 

Is this normal? I don't recall ever being served a meatloaf that was sitting in a pool of liquid grease, but maybe I've just forgotten.


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

Grass-fed beef have fat too. Any fat is usually drained off, either while it is baking, or after, before serving. Some people will bake a meatloaf on a rack in the pan...I never got into that. It is usually taken OUT of the pan before serving...if it sits a wee bit, this also allows grease to drain.

Mon


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

It will depend on how much fat is in the meat. Most recipes call for 80/20, this will give a nice juicy meatloaf but the extra fat will be on the bottom of the pan. Now a 90/10 will give a lot less grease but the loaf will be kind of dry... you have to take the good with the bad. One trick I use is to line the bottom of the pan with day old bread and then top with the meat, this way you don't see the grease.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I leave the fat in there and eat it. I don't care if it means that I need to take a smaller portion to have fewer calories. True grass fed beef contains a type of unsaturated fatty acid called CLAs, or conjugated linoleic acids, which many feel can prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It's only present in the meat and butterfat of grass fed ruminants like beef, sheep, and goats. 

In my meatloaf there's far more gelatinous juices than fat; but that helps keep it moist, too.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I always thought thats why there is bread or some other absorbent, oatmeal in the recipe.

What I like to do is to use a loaf pan to shape it. Then put the meatloaf on a rack. Put the rack over a cast iron pan to catch the grease drippings. You can make a gravy out of the drippings if you want.

I usually cover the top for 30 minutes to avoid getting it burned.

Good luck.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

You can also buy special meatloaf pans that have two pans - one with holes in the bottom that is a bit shorter than the other and it sits inside the other pan. Then the fat drips out and your meatloaf is not swimming.

I just go in to the oven at about a 1/2 hour and drain off the fat then put it back in. It really helps.

Oh - and we have an amazing meatloaf recipe that is really different but so yummy!!

2 lbs. meat (we use a veal/pork/beef mix)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup stuffing mix
1 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Ya gotta try it!


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## Cajun Arkie (Jun 11, 2012)

Annsni said:


> You can also buy special meatloaf pans that have two pans - one with holes in the bottom that is a bit shorter than the other and it sits inside the other pan. Then the fat drips out and your meatloaf is not swimming.
> 
> I just go in to the oven at about a 1/2 hour and drain off the fat then put it back in. It really helps.
> 
> ...


This sounds great. Needed a good recipe and had thought of asking on here but now going to try yours!


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Cajun Arkie said:


> This sounds great. Needed a good recipe and had thought of asking on here but now going to try yours!


Let me know what you think!


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## Cajun Arkie (Jun 11, 2012)

Annsni said:


> Let me know what you think!


 
Will do.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

If it doesn't work out, I have two others. 

One is the Pioneer Woman's meatloaf which is covered in bacon and slathered in a sauce.

The other is a country herbed meatloaf that I got from Country magazine a million years ago.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I cheat. Rather than use dried bread to soak up the juices, I use dehydrated veggies. Zucchini and mushrooms are awesome in there; I just give them a cursory beating with a mortar and pestle first. Then I use home grown tomato sauce and egg as a binder.

I love the idea of applesauce, herbed bread, and pork though! Wow, that's a whole new kind of meatloaf!


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## maddy (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for your input regarding the grease. I guess I'll be immediately removing the loaf from the pan next time.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

It might not have been grease at all, just juice. Meat loaf can "rest" after cooking just like any other meat, and it will re-absorb its juices. I always rest mine because the slices hold together better that way.

Drain that juice into a bowl next time, put it in the frig and I bet when it chills you will find a tiny white layer of fat on top and the rest was just juice. You may have thrown away some flavor and nutrition.


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## Cajun Arkie (Jun 11, 2012)

Annsni said:


> If it doesn't work out, I have two others.
> 
> One is the Pioneer Woman's meatloaf which is covered in bacon and slathered in a sauce.
> 
> The other is a country herbed meatloaf that I got from Country magazine a million years ago.


 
I browse Pioneer Woman sometime but the country herb sounds really interesting. I love growing herbs and usually lots on hand. If you have a chance I would love for you to post it.


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

I've been making my grass fed beef meatloaf with just an egg and some seasonings, lots of grease to pour off. Last week I had some leftover rice so I added it, no grease to pour off! I was kind of shocked. My boyfriend liked it much better too lol, I prefer it without the rice...


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Cajun Arkie said:


> I browse Pioneer Woman sometime but the country herb sounds really interesting. I love growing herbs and usually lots on hand. If you have a chance I would love for you to post it.


Here you go! I've learned to post a lot of my recipes on a blog so I can pass them on easily. 

http://cookingonthesound.blogspot.com/2012/08/country-herbed-meatloaf.html


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## Cajun Arkie (Jun 11, 2012)

Annsni said:


> Here you go! I've learned to post a lot of my recipes on a blog so I can pass them on easily.
> 
> http://cookingonthesound.blogspot.com/2012/08/country-herbed-meatloaf.html


 
Nifty - gonna try to make one of them this week. Thanks!


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Yes meatloaf normally does bath in a bath of hot fat , but I take out of the pan to serve it, the fat is only what renders out of the meat during the baking/roasting. That why I add pork to mine help keep it moist. 


Meat Loaf
2.2Lb minced Beef or lamb
1Lb minced Pork Shoulder or Neck
1 onion, fine diced
2 clove garlic,diced
2 Â½ cups dried Bread Crumbs
1 large carrot grated course
3 lg eggs
2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp sage


add a 1/2 cup bacon for specaial days like feast days must not be eaten on Good Friday hope you enjoy MM


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Sweetie makes 4 small portion size meatloaf balls and bakes them in a 8"x8" cake pan on top of a rack. We like the itailian spiced meatloaf with wild rice, egg, oatmeal and olives with our homemade italian ketchup on top....James


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## Mooselover (May 4, 2009)

how ironic, i just made a meatloaf last night. i used ground 1# turkey/chicken, 1/4# sausage, oatmeal, egg and the seasonings. it came out good and held together well. not as much grease as when i use beef. i do prefer beef but i had to do something with the ground-goo. i've found that meatloaf is about the only way i can use it cause, i really don't like it much in anything else. it makes a healthier meatloaf and i find that when i have meatloaf around... i want to eat ALL of it.


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

Nothing like left-over meatloaf sandwiches!


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## Cajun Arkie (Jun 11, 2012)

Annsni said:


> You can also buy special meatloaf pans that have two pans - one with holes in the bottom that is a bit shorter than the other and it sits inside the other pan. Then the fat drips out and your meatloaf is not swimming.
> 
> I just go in to the oven at about a 1/2 hour and drain off the fat then put it back in. It really helps.
> 
> ...


 
Okay did it today - used venison. It way YUMMY! Best meatloaf I have had in awhile. Thank you thank you.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Cajun Arkie said:


> Okay did it today - used venison. It way YUMMY! Best meatloaf I have had in awhile. Thank you thank you.


Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!


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