I made a meatloaf with high-fat beef

[JanetRose]

It came out awful!

Going to try again with lower-fat beef...what percentage do you all use?

 

[RedAngie]

85% lean or higher.

 

[nw6675]

80/20 but half ground pork to the hamburger.

 

[tasha99]

I use 2.5 pounds of 90/10 or 85/15 and .5 pounds of Jimmy Dean regular sausage. I have used higher fat beef before, but free formed them on a rack so the fat dripped off (vs making it in a loaf pan).

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I’ve never made a meat loaf.

 

[NYCgrrl]

80/20 but half ground pork to the hamburger.

Sometimes I add veal to the mix.

 

[CarolynFH]

We use 93/7 or 90/10 ground beef plus 93/7 ground turkey.

 

[tony67]

Yeah - I Mix Veal, Pork and Beef - same for meatballs - not that I make it all that often

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I usually buy the veal/pork/ground beef mix but if I can’t find it I use 85%. Generally use that for everything

 

[slo]

I’m making a meatloaf in about 15 minutes.

I use….
1lb of ground round
1lb of ground pork

 

[Christine]

Around 90%.

 

[Genie+]

free formed them on a rack so the fat dripped off (vs making it in a loaf pan).

This is the way. I don’t always do it on a rack. I’ve also made them free formed on well rimmed baking sheets and inside pyrex pans (somewhere for liquid fat to go that is contained).

 

[TwoMisfits]

I use 2.5 pounds of 90/10 or 85/15 and .5 pounds of Jimmy Dean regular sausage. I have used higher fat beef before, but free formed them on a rack so the fat dripped off (vs making it in a loaf pan).

I never use a loaf pan.

The sweet spot (when doing free form and not using a loaf pan) is 85-90%. Any higher and it will come out dry. Any lower and you will have a fatty feel, even with it draining away.

Free form also prevents your loaf from getting formed too densely and feeling/tasting like a brick.

 

[tvguy]

It came out awful!

Going to try again with lower-fat beef...what percentage do you all use?

Define "high fat". Meatloaf needs some fat for flavor and so it isn't too dry.

 

[tvguy]

Sometimes I add veal to the mix.

Man, I haven't seen veal in a store in years. And it was EXPENSIVE.

 

[wide awake]

Man, I haven't seen veal in a store in years. And it was EXPENSIVE.

This. You're in the Sacramento area as well, correct? Only place I can buy veal is Corti Brothers. Last time I checked at Bel Air the butcher looked at me like I was pond scum when I inquired about veal. Well, Bel Air isn't the store it used to be.

 

[tvguy]

This. You're in the Sacramento area as well, correct? Only place I can buy veal is Corti Brothers. Last time I checked at Bel Air the butcher looked at me like I was pond scum when I inquired about veal. Well, Bel Air isn't the store it used to be.

Yup. I can see Corti Brothers having it. But V. Miller, the butcher shop down the street from Corti's doesn't list that they carry veal.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Man, I haven't seen veal in a store in years. And it was EXPENSIVE.

And I thought you might say veal is banned in CA.

It is expensive but when you do a food costing it’s not that bad considering it’s only a third of the total weight of the meat.

Uhhh… I’ll admit that when the man was making his annual meatloaf in August he requested only a pork and beef mixture to go with his dehydrated onion seasoning and canned gravy. Think he learned the recipe in the service.
Life was always interesting in our household what with the Chef Boyardee adherent and the wannabe gourmetee

 

[tvguy]

And I thought you might say veal is banned in CA.

It is expensive but when you do a food costing it’s not that bad considering it’s only a third of the total weight of the meat.

Uhhh… I’ll admit that when the man was making his annual meatloaf in August he requested only a pork and beef mixture to go with his dehydrated onion seasoning and canned gravy. Think he learned the recipe in the service.
Life was always interesting in our household what with the Chef Boyardee adherent and the wannabe gourmetee

No banned, but voters did pass a Proposition governing how any veal sold in California is raised.
https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_2,_Farm_Animal_Confinement_Initiative_(2008)

 

[ForceofWill]

I usually buy the veal/pork/ground beef mix but if I can’t find it I use 85%. Generally use that for everything

I smoke my meatloaf and use this blend. Glaze with my homemade Carolina sauce at the end to set it up. My local grocery store actually calls it meatloaf blend.