- Steve's Meat Loaf
What's so special about meat loaf, you ask? Nothing usually, but this one is exceptional. The secret to a good meat loaf is to mix ground beef and ground pork. Of course, the sauce is important also and this sauce is sweet, simple and delicious. I've always been a big meat loaf fan and guess what? This is the best I've ever tasted!
Meat loaf
- 3/4 ~ 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 ~ 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1/3 cup (Ritz) cracker crumbs
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1-1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Sauce
- 2 8oz cans tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. You will need a meat thermometer because it is very difficult to tell when this meat loaf is done and you do not want a rare meat loaf that contains pork. You must use a meat thermometer and bake this meat loaf until it reaches a temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use your hands to combine the meats and all of the other ingredients listed above under Meat loaf. Do not combine the Sauce ingredients with the meat loaf at this time. Form the meat mixed with the other ingredients into an oblong loaf and place it in an uncovered glass baking dish. Allow plenty of room around the sides. Bake for approximately one hour or a little more. Meanwhile, make the sauce from the ingredients listed above. Stir and simmer over very low heat for at least 30 minutes. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
Next, remove meat loaf from the oven and drain the grease from the pan, or better yet, transfer it to a clean dish. Pour warm sauce over meat loaf and return it to the oven for the remainder of the baking time or until the meat thermometer registers 170 degrees F. Spoon warm sauce over sliced meat loaf.