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

I made this again tonight. A big hit. Google cooks illustrated all beef meat loaf for complete recipe.
The kicker is using unflavored gelatin bloomed with chicken stock and an egg.
For an all beef loaf it really helps hold in moisture. The other tech is sauteing the celery and onions and reducing that with v8 juice. Let it cool. The gelatin holds in the moisture.
The other tech they use is not glazing it until almost finished with three glazes almost burned in the broiler..and repeat three times. And using making a 'free form loaf' on a foil wrapped wire rack to let the fat drain way.
I fudged tonight just using ground chuck and skipped the cheese addition. Works very well.

Sam1148
  • Posted by: Sam1148
  • September 16, 2011
  • 9278 views
  • 5 Comments

5 Comments

Sam1148
Sam1148 September 17, 2011
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.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames September 17, 2011
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)
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 17, 2011
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!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames September 17, 2011
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)
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 16, 2011
Here's a recipe using the same tech.
http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com/what_did_you_eat/2006/12/a_few_weeks_ago.html
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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