Comfort food. If you like meat loaf. You must try the cooks illustrated tech of adding unflavored gelatin to an all beef loaf.

Sam1148 added over 1 year ago

Here's a recipe using the same tech.
http://whatdidyoueat.typepad...
I think the text is original as they fail to mention using a wire rack wraped with foil with drip pan and little toothpick holes in the foil to allow the fat to drain off, so the loaf isn't swimming in grease.

I just used a pound of chuck tonight and skipped the cheese addition, and it still made a wonderful moist meat loaf.

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added over 1 year ago

Was just thinking about meatloaf, as the weather cools, so this is much appreciated. Very interesting, and I just happen to buy gelatin in bulk because you never know when you might need it, so I plan to try this. Thank you for posting!! ;o)

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Sam1148 added over 1 year ago

I think you'll like it. Sometimes I don't have access to ground veal and pork.
Which is what is traditionally used to give moisture to the loaf.
The gelatin tech works well with meatballs too, using chuck and/or ground sirloin. Something to keep in your arsenal of cooking techs for using cheaper and more available meats.

I've also used it for ground chicken/turkey burgers---because those always end up rather dry and brick like. This moistens them a bit and holds in moisture in the cooking process, replacing high fat in traditional ground meat mixes.
Have fun and experiment with it!

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added over 1 year ago

More great ideas! My younger son prefers ground turkey, yet it so often turns out, as you say, dry and brick-like, no matter how much care is taken in cooking. Thank you so much! I certainly am going to have fun experimenting with this. ;o)

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Sam1148 added over 1 year ago

I still think the turkey/chicken burgers need a egg white too along with the gelatin. And a physical binder like bread crumbs. Basically..just adding the gelatin to the liquid you'd normally use. Good luck!

When I do this with chicken burgers.. I use english muffins as the buns...and a lime slaw on top. With soy sauce and chopped green onions in the burgers.
With a wassabi mayo dressing. (which might be too strong for a kid--along with sirachi sauce instead ketchup)..Adjust and enjoy.
However the 'mini burgers' with toasted english muffins are great little burgers.

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