Heart-Shaped Meat Loaf for Lovers (Updated for 2018)

Heart-Shaped Meat Loaf for Lovers

As promised, my meat loaf recipe, specially modified for Valentine's Day:

1. Two pounds ground beef, 75% to 80% lean. (Not too lean; meatloaf should be juicy.)

2. Mix the ground beef with one cup bread crumbs. (I like these Italian style breadcrumbs or these... or these.)

Add two eggs... work through with your hands.

3. Cut up onions (about one half), fresh garlic (2-3 cloves depending on your preference), and some green pepper with one or two stalks of celery-- All chopped up very finely. Add in to the meat mixture.

4. Freshly ground pepper is a necessity... probably a bit of salt. I've always added a bit of crushed or ground red pepper, just a tiny bit for some zest, but that is also a matter of personal preference.

5. Mix with your hands... You will probably need to add some water. just a quarter cup should do the trick. You need to keep meat loaf juicy.  It shouldn't dry out while cooking.

6. Then a squirt of olive oil, then a tablespoon of a good steak sauce. A-1 is good; my current favorite, however, is the Lea and Perrin's brand from the same people who make Worcestershire sauce. Perhaps a dash of cooking sherry or a good burgundy red wine would give it a special flavor.

The biggest problem I've had with meat loaves is that they tend to be dry, so the water and the bit of olive oil really helps. If you get a leaner ground chuck or ground round, you may need to add a bit more water or oil. Meat loaf needs moisture in one form or another. And it's Valentine's Day, so don't worry that much about the fat content... He's going to eat more of the meat loaf than you will anyhow.

Now the Heart Part

If you can't find a heart shaped pan (a heart-shaped cake pan will probably work), use a nice square pan, 8 or 9 inches square. Turn it on an angle, so that the point of the heart is a corner at the bottom. Arrange the meat in the pan so that the point of the heart is on the bottom, and work the top part of the meat loaf into a heart shape. Some people like tomato sauce baked on top of their meat loaf; some like it plain.

Here we go:

Ready for the oven!

(Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.. Baking times vary; so don't dry out the meat loaf by overcooking!)

To Complete the Dinner:

What else can you serve with meat loaf but mashed potatoes? Well, perhaps baked potatoes or scalloped potatoes, but around here, the potatoes are mashed. His (or her) favorite gravy, his (or her) favorite vegetables as a side dish, heart bread, and you have a great meal! Now, your partner can bring the dessert... or bake it! (Or you can enjoy cooking dessert together!)

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(More about that heart bread some other time.)