Okay, omnivores. Here’s a great twist on an American staple, and a fantastic, foolproof dinnertime option: Expat Chef’s brilliant Meatloaf Florentine, which she posted last fall in honor of National Meatloaf Day. It’s awesome. And it’s easy. And it’s a flexible recipe.
But I don’t want to tell you about the meatloaf yet. First, please indulge me briefly while I tell you about the meat I used, and why I used what I did.
I don’t buy conventional beef anymore. I just can’t do it. Last year, thirty-three million pounds of beef were recalled during 20 different recalls. This year, we witnessed downer cows being forklifted so they could be processed for our food supply, after which the USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef. All of which might make a person feel safer (I mean, the bad meat is recalled, right?), except that the majority of recalled meat is never recovered and likely eaten. And the downer cow scandal? The processing facility was picked at random by undercover investigators (from the Humane Society, mind you. Not from anyone who’s actually paid to be investigating this stuff). Just doesn’t make me feel reassured.
It’s tough to say ‘no’ to conventional beef, though, for one main reason: the pasture-raised stuff is much more expensive. Like most things, you do get what you pay for — grass-fed beef also has far less overall fat, less saturated fat, more of the good fats like omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and lots more vitamin A, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. The ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is closer to 1:1, whereas in conventional beef, it’s as much as 20:1— an imbalance that is increasingly linked with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and depression, among other nasty things.
Still, I really can’t swing $12.99 per pound, particularly when I’m working with a recipe that calls for 3 lbs of meat. Thirty-nine dollars worth of meatloaf is just out of the question in our house.
So what to do? I did what so many people have already done on their journey toward Real Food: I went direct to the farmer. At nearby Cricket Creek Farm, pastured ground beef, from a facility that is exceedingly clean and lovely, and from cows that are some of the healthiest I’ve ever seen, goes for $4/lb. More expensive than grocery store? Yes. But in a more affordable range, particularly when the meal is stretched with veggies and lasts many, many days? You betcha’.
Here’s a nice photo of the farm, taken last summer (it’s not nearly so green in New England this time of year):
Besides, the experience of buying the meat was about as heart-warming as it gets. The kids got to pet friendly barnyard cats. They ate some fresh-baked cookies that sell alongside the meats and cheeses. They frolicked outdoors. Charlotte found herself enamored by the pigs:
Whereas Merrie discovered she was something of a chicken whisperer:
It was one of those gorgeous New England spring days, and it was an absolutely lovely way to pass the afternoon. The entire time, I just kept thinking how grateful I was to have a farm like this nearby, and a part of our lives.
Anyhow, the meatloaf. Yes, it’s great, and I like that Expat allows you to “stretch” your meat by sneaking in greens. My version was a variation of what’s on Expat’s site. To keep costs down, I used a can of tomato paste instead of ketchup (her suggestion).
But basically, I took all of these ingredients:
(that would be: 1 medium onion, finely diced; 1 large clove garlic, minced; 1 can tomato paste; 1.5 cups of fresh greens (spinach and chard, mixed), chopped; 1/2 cup of herbs (parsley, mostly, with a little fresh thyme and some dried basil); 2 eggs; 1 cup + 1 TBSP bread crumbs; a half-cup of grated parmesan; 1 tsp kosher sea salt; some black pepper; and a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes)
Then I sauteed the onion and garlic in olive oil first, then I combined it all — everything, all at once — with 3 lbs of grass-fed meat. Yes, with my hands. Which aren’t actually claws, despite how it may appear:
Then I stuck it in two loaf pans in a 350-degree oven for an hour, until my meat thermometer said that the meatloaf had reached 180-degrees:
And guys? It’s awesome. I mean, it’s a really nice meatloaf. Everyone ate it, and Blair kept saying, “what is it about this that’s so good? What’s the secret ingredient?” And I didn’t know the answer — maybe it’s the quality meat, maybe it’s Expat’s great touch, maybe something about the lovely afternoon we’d spent got absorbed right into those ingredients.
The recipe makes two loaves — it would have been plenty for a good-size dinner party; as is, we ate one over two different nights, plus a lunch. Then the rest of it we’ll be adding to other dishes, like pasta sauce, soup, and homemade pizza. I’m guessing that in the end, we’ll have gotten 4 family meals out of it, plus several lunches — not bad for $12 worth of meat.
When we first sat down at the table, Merrie turned her nose up at the meatloaf. “I don’t think I like this,” she said, grumpily, as soon as she saw it.
I ignored that comment, and then about 30 seconds later, I said “Hey, Merrie, this is made with the meat you helped me buy at Cricket Creek.”
Her eyes got bright for a moment, and she asked, “Mom, can we go back there again tomorrow?”
“Soon,” I promised.
Then I tried not to smile when I saw her lift her fork and start to eat.
Mmmmm, meatloaf made from a good meat source. Just the way I like it (though you know I don’t add breadcrumbs or starches). Great photos, too.
Actually, Anna, I was thinking about you when I was doing this, and I went to some diabetic web sites to see what they recommend for bread crumbs. Many of their recipes still call for bread crumbs, which surprised me. Do you just go without? Or add an extra egg? There didn’t seem any clear “substitute” in this case.
Thought you’d be interested in this short omega-3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgNpsbvcVM
Ali - I use rice rather than bread crumbs. It might not suit someone who is watching the carbs (for whatever reason) but I prefer crispy brown rice cereal to bread crumbs for all sorts of reasons. for budget reasons you can also use plain cooked rice of the brown or white varieties. It’s a really good way to keep something gluten free.
I used to HATE meatloaf as a kid, but now I can’t get enough. We eat only our beloved Sequatchie Cove Farm beef, which we are lucky enough to get at our locally owned natural foods grocery store.
This post made me smile. And made me a little bit hungry, too. Even though it’s 11:00pm.
You know, a couple of months ago, I felt a similar shift happen to me. I just woke up one day and knew that I couldn’t buy conventional beef. I get the one that is the closest to grass fed at the store I shop at and I pay a hefty price, but I only buy a pound or two every month or so. I’m trying to get my father-in-law to sell one of his cows to me. He has a whole pasture full.
Oddly enough you can find farmers who list their pasture raised and organic produce and meat on Craigslist. You would still want to check the operation out but it’s a starting point not many people would have thought of. You can also check localharvest.org for local farmers and farmer’s markets.
My fiance and I are lucky enough to be able to get raw milk from a small dairy about 20 minutes away. They also allow and encourage you to come visit the farm and meet the animals. One cow was particularly enamored with my fiance and kept licking his leg
we made the switch to happy beef as well- to be honest, beef really bothers my husband and we are both so unhappy with the conditions of meat that is raised in factory systems- both morally and health-wise.
anyway, we finally made the jump to happy beef, and we honestly couldn’t be happier with it- with the quality (nearly no fat!) and the flavor. we ordered it online from a small farm in VT- i’ll post the link if that’s ok with you- and the prices are excellent when you consider the shipping costs.
we really believe that food is the place to spend your money when it comes to quality/health as well as paying the farmer what it’s worth. there are plenty of places where we’re happy to cut back in order to increase the percentage of our budget that goes towards food. i recently read a statistic that americans spend maybe 10% less on food than we did 30 years ago? that’s crazy. and, imo, it shows.
looking forward to trying the meatloaf recipe! thanks!
Usually I just skip breadcrumbs or reduce the amount quite a bit so that is isn’t more than a Tbl or so per serving. I’ve also added almond meal or if I really think it needs something “crumby”, I sometimes use some oat bran, though I am getting away from that, too. Finely chopped (in the food processor) or grated carrots are good in meatloaf, too.
Most of the time, I think ingredients like breadcrumbs in meatloaf are there just as cheap extenders to make the meat go further, not to serve any nutritional, chemical, or structural purpose (though perhaps crumbs “lighten” up the meat so it doesn’t become a “brick”). I haven’t made any bricks yet. Perhaps the spinach or chard would accomplish the same thing as the breadcrumbs. Meat that is too lean is usually the culprit in “brick” meatloafs. I especially like to use a ground beef or lamb and pork combo. I never use really lean ground beef for anything. No flavor and the burgers fall apart. Ground fat is a great binder; it also carries the flavors and keeps the meat from drying out. Excess fat drains out in the pan and doesnt’ have to be consumed.
Someone gave me a box of quinoa flakes to try (rolled quinoa is what I think it is), the I might think about using. It’s processed IMO and no longer “whole”, but I think it would work in that it is still starchy (though not a huge starch load per serving), and gluten-free and has a better amino profile than wheat (but the starch will break down into glucose and hit the bloodstream much faster than whole quinoa). I’d still keep the total amount very low, perhaps 1/4 per meatloaf.
I still use a Tbl or two of flour in a recipe sometimes to thicken, or dredge meat /poultry in flour of the sauce will benefit from the thickening it adds. But I use flour so slowly now that I have to buy the tiny bags and store them in the freezer. I still throw some flour out because it gets too old (especially “whole wheat” with the potential for rancidity). But if I don’t need to thicken, I’ll dredge in seasoned almond or hazelnut meal or finely grated dried unsweetened coconut (super for crispy baked chicken!).
I’ve got a nice big bunch of chard in this week’s CSA box that will be great for this recipe.
Thanks for this…I’m about to go pick up my first load of beef and pork from Polyface Farms! Any ideas for what to do with an eye round roast? Or a ham roast? I ordered it to force myself to learn how to cook roasts. Although maybe learning on the more expensive pasture-fed meats wasn’t such a good idea…
Heather,
Polyface Farms! I’m so jealous. I found out recently that my dad has known Joel Salatin for years, due to my dad’s support of farmer’s markets in urban planning and renewal.
The key with pastured meat, especially the red meat, is to not overcook it, cover with foil a few minutes, and let it rest! Use a thermometer, the right cooking technique (roasting, braising, slow dry indirect heat, etc.) and you’ll do fine. I like using a wireless digital thermeter to monitor my temps while cooking, in the oven and on the grill, but a basic instant read is good too.
I highly recommend Shannon Hayes’ Grassfed Gourmet cookbook. I use it all the time. Turns out my dad knows Shannon and her parents, too (same reason). I visited their pasture based farm last year when I was back visiting my Upstate NY roots. Shannon’s GFG book is available from her website or on Amazon. I also use her Farmer and the Grill book quite a bit (in So Cal we can grill all year). That book is self-published, so it is not available at Amazon - it’s available on Shannon’s website www dot grassfedcooking dot com . She gives a discount if you buy several copies. I bought a bunch and gave them as gifts!
Jo Robinson has a nice pastured based cookbook, too - Pasture Perfect. www dot eatwild dot com
We are moving this week and you have inspired me to research the local farms & CSA’s in the new area! Oh and can you please recommend a meat thermometer? Both of my boys love conventional meatloaf, I’m guessing they would eat this even with the veggies packed inside - wonderful!
Going in reverse order:
ChristieNY. Wow, good luck with the move! Check out localharvest.com - it’s a great starting point. I use a plain-jane meat thermometer that I got at the grocery store, and I periodically think, “I should really get a more accurate one.” If you want to spend big bucks, both the Cooking for Engineers blog (a site that’s so analytical about food it sometimes makes my head spin, but they do their research) and the Cook’s Illustrated group recommend the Thermapen. It’s accurate, fast, easy to use. It also happens to be $85. Yowza. But the Cooks Illustrated folks also have some “best buys” listed, which is more in line with normal budgets: http://whatscookingamerica.net/DigitalTherm.htm
Anna, as always, I love your insights. Thank you.
Heather, I am jealous, too. I think the most important thing with the grassfed meats is to reject all time-oriented directions. They tend to cook way faster than their grain-fed counterparts, so you’ll mess yourself by following conventional rules. Go by your meat thermometer, not by any “xx minutes per pound” directions.
Pnuts - yes, go ahead and post the link. That’s a great resource. I love your line, “we really believe that food is the place to spend your money when it comes to quality/health as well as paying the farmer what it’s worth. there are plenty of places where we’re happy to cut back in order to increase the percentage of our budget that goes towards food.” You said it.
N&J - Craigslist. Awesome, I’d never thought about looking there. I’ve been looking there for my second frezer…for when I, like songwriterexperiment, go for a cow.
(thank you for that songwriter).
Tut tut - isn’t it funny how meat could become “beloved”? It does, though.
Greg - Thank you for the gluten free tips, and I think you have also just solved my perpetual bread crumbs problem. I don’t like buying the stuff in a can, but I don’t always have the bread to make my own. Crispy brown rice. I love it.
Susan Allport, I suspect that was an automated comment, but because it’s you, I’m okay with that. Susan Allport, to those who don’t know, is the Queen of Fats - wrote a great book about how omega-3s were stripped from our diets through the shift away from leafy greens (including pastured beef) to a grain-based diet. It’s common sense, and it explodes the whole idea that we must “fortify” processed foods with omega-3s, or eat salmon nightly, in order to get enough of these good fats. From you, Queen of Fats, the (I’m pretty sure) spam comment stays.
Thanks, all!
Ali and ChristyNY - More important than which thermometer to use is *how* to use it correctly. The various models have different techniques but most are accurate. A cheap instant-read dial thermometer that is easy to calibrate costs about $5 at most grocery stores and it works great *IF* you know how to use it.
Wait. Greg. Don’t stop there. What’s the “if” you refer to? How might we read it wrong? Suddenly I’m terribly insecure.
From the NYS agriculture experiment station (http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/necfe/pubs/pdf/Venture/venture3_kitchent.html):
“In general, the thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat, or gristle in meats and should be placed so that it does not touch the sides or bottom of the container if you are cooking soups, sauces or similar products.”
Is that what you mean? About placement? Because I’m genuinely feeling worried here. Like maybe I’m about to poison my family without knowing it.
You are fine doing what you have pictured. Given that you are using Cricket Creek beef, you are doubly insulated.
The type of thermometer you have pictured is difficult to use on smaller items like chicken or a burger patty. I would recommend buying a thin stemmed thermometer that you do not leave in the meat while cooking. Here is a demo on how to calibrate them:
http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objID=DTY503
It recommends daily calibration. That is overkill. Check it now and again, especially if you drop it.
These types read temp over a 1/2 inch stretch of their stem. You will notice a tiny dot on the side of the stem. When you insert it into the item, make sure that the stem, from the dot to the tip, is placed where you want to check the temp.
And the thinner stemmed models don’t leave big holes in your food.
A very suitable digital thermometer which reads temp at a much smaller point at the tip of the stem costs about $20. I’ve discovered over the years, the fancier models tend to be much more temperamental (no pun intended) when you drop them.
Stop by the store and if you want more info. I am always happy to show people this kind of stuff. It’s important.
Oh, don’t forget to sanitize the thermometer each time you poke something with it. There would be a no more tragic irony than cross contaminating your burgers with your birds.
ali-
sorry i missed your reply!
the farm we purchased the meat from is in rochester, vermont, from north hollow farm- website is www dot vermontgrassfedbeef.com .
we bought the sampler package that was around $100 b/c the shipping was more cost effective than the smaller packages. it is quite a bit of meat, 10lbs of ground beef plus steaks, a roast, some sausages, etc. i’ve not liked the sausages as much, but i think that’s b/c they are lean AND of course NOW i am reading here about the whole “cooking grass-fed meat differently”- well, duh for me, and thanks! i will look into that cookbook rec’d by anna. makes sense! also the meat thermometer. hmm.
i will say so far the ground beef and steaks are outstanding- so tasty, you can really tell the difference. and so far, my husband has suffered no adverse effects from eating the beef- the big reason why we tried it in the first place (amongst other reasons).
and as a side note, i can’t recommend the second freezer enough- we use my mom’s old one, it’s not huge, but it is absolutely priceless- holds all our meat, juices and bread and cheese that i stock up on when on sale, not to mention all the veggies and sauces we cook/shread/freeze to store throughout the year. i save/buy the quart & 2 quart containers that soup comes in from the chinese take out by us to keep pesto, veggies, tomato sauces, etc all year round. it’s awesome.
We have eaten Organically for along time now. It is expensive, but if you think about it you are spending money on preventing diease/sicknes/E. coil.
By the way we have also begun growing our own food so we can know exactly how it is raised and what is fed.