Cheddar Crust Meatloaf
EQUIPMENT: An 8 ½ by 4 ¼ inch, 6 cup bread pan (though really any size will work out), and a cookie sheet lined with foil. (If you have a flat stoneware pan, that works better, but the other is more commonly had.)
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
Cheddar Cheese Crust
14.4 ounces
412 grams
Fresh Bread Crumbs*
¼ Cup
0.3 ounce
11 grams
1 Large Egg
Ketchup
¼ Cup
Worcestershire Sauce
1 ½ teaspoon
Approx. 2.5 oz
69 grams
Minced Fresh Parsley
2 tablespoons
Dry Mustard
1 ½ teaspoon
3.6 grams
Salt
1 ½ teaspoons
0.3 ounce
10 grams
Black Pepper
½ teaspoon
1 Small white onion, finely chopped
¼ Cup
Approx. 2 oz
60 grams
Hamburger
2 pounds
907 grams
* For more even processing, allow the bread to sit uncovered to dry for about 3 hours before processing into crumbs, Also white bread is the best for this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack on bottom shelf of oven before preheating.
In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add onion and meat and mix just until evenly combined. Pack meat gently into bread pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 115 F. Allow the meat loaf to cool completely on a wire rack, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Unfold it onto paper towels, then invert it so that it is right side up. Meatloaf must be completely cooled before wrapping in crust.
The time when your meatloaf is cooking and while it is cooling is a great time to make your crusts. You can put your crust wrapped loaves in the fridge up to 6 hours before you do the last step.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Be sure rack is on lowest level of oven. Place baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating.
Roll the crust dough out and place loaf in the center. Wrap dough like a present leaving a few areas open at the top for juices to bubble out from. Be careful of the corners on the bottom. Be sure that they are not open in anyway and if needed put a “patch” of dough over each bottom corner to prevent leaking of juices. Place loaf on the heated baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake the loaf for 35 - 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the meat juices start to bubble through the vents. (A thermometer should read 160 F.) Place the loaf, still on the cookie sheet, on a rack to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1-inch slices.
Will keep for 3 - 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes:
*The loaf is not adequately cooked until the juices start bubbling through the vent at top of loaf.
*The dough wrapped loaf is baked on the bottom oven rack on a stone or baking sheet so that the bottom gets crisp despite the juicy meat.
*Sometimes I cook the loaves longer than it says if I don’t feel like it’s done enough, so just take the 35-40 minutes on the second cooking as an estimate.
Here is a lovely Fahrenheit to Celsius converter for the baking temperatures for those of you who need it: http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm
Cheese Crust
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
Unsalted butter
8 Tablespoons
4 ounces
113 grams
Bleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (dip and sweep method)
6.5 ounces
184 grams
Salt
¼ teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper
¼ teaspoon
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
¾ cup, medium packed
3 ounces
85 grams
Cold Water
2 ½ Tablespoons
1.3 ounces
36 grams
Cider Vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons
0.25 ounce
7 grams
Mix flour, salt, and cayenne pepper together in mixing bowl. Add shredded cheese and blend with fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Cut in butter. Add water and vinegar and kneed. Wrap dough with plastic wrap until ready for use.
Notes:
Do not melt butter for this! It must be in cube form, none of that soft serve stuff either. I recommend having your butter in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t use margarine for this. I guess you could, but if you’re going through the expense of making this thing, splurge the extra bit and buy the real stuff. It will make your crust better.
.
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
Cheddar Cheese Crust
14.4 ounces
412 grams
Fresh Bread Crumbs*
¼ Cup
0.3 ounce
11 grams
1 Large Egg
Ketchup
¼ Cup
Worcestershire Sauce
1 ½ teaspoon
Approx. 2.5 oz
69 grams
Minced Fresh Parsley
2 tablespoons
Dry Mustard
1 ½ teaspoon
3.6 grams
Salt
1 ½ teaspoons
0.3 ounce
10 grams
Black Pepper
½ teaspoon
1 Small white onion, finely chopped
¼ Cup
Approx. 2 oz
60 grams
Hamburger
2 pounds
907 grams
* For more even processing, allow the bread to sit uncovered to dry for about 3 hours before processing into crumbs, Also white bread is the best for this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack on bottom shelf of oven before preheating.
In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add onion and meat and mix just until evenly combined. Pack meat gently into bread pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 115 F. Allow the meat loaf to cool completely on a wire rack, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Unfold it onto paper towels, then invert it so that it is right side up. Meatloaf must be completely cooled before wrapping in crust.
The time when your meatloaf is cooking and while it is cooling is a great time to make your crusts. You can put your crust wrapped loaves in the fridge up to 6 hours before you do the last step.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Be sure rack is on lowest level of oven. Place baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating.
Roll the crust dough out and place loaf in the center. Wrap dough like a present leaving a few areas open at the top for juices to bubble out from. Be careful of the corners on the bottom. Be sure that they are not open in anyway and if needed put a “patch” of dough over each bottom corner to prevent leaking of juices. Place loaf on the heated baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake the loaf for 35 - 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the meat juices start to bubble through the vents. (A thermometer should read 160 F.) Place the loaf, still on the cookie sheet, on a rack to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1-inch slices.
Will keep for 3 - 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes:
*The loaf is not adequately cooked until the juices start bubbling through the vent at top of loaf.
*The dough wrapped loaf is baked on the bottom oven rack on a stone or baking sheet so that the bottom gets crisp despite the juicy meat.
*Sometimes I cook the loaves longer than it says if I don’t feel like it’s done enough, so just take the 35-40 minutes on the second cooking as an estimate.
Here is a lovely Fahrenheit to Celsius converter for the baking temperatures for those of you who need it: http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm
Cheese Crust
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
Unsalted butter
8 Tablespoons
4 ounces
113 grams
Bleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (dip and sweep method)
6.5 ounces
184 grams
Salt
¼ teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper
¼ teaspoon
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
¾ cup, medium packed
3 ounces
85 grams
Cold Water
2 ½ Tablespoons
1.3 ounces
36 grams
Cider Vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons
0.25 ounce
7 grams
Mix flour, salt, and cayenne pepper together in mixing bowl. Add shredded cheese and blend with fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Cut in butter. Add water and vinegar and kneed. Wrap dough with plastic wrap until ready for use.
Notes:
Do not melt butter for this! It must be in cube form, none of that soft serve stuff either. I recommend having your butter in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t use margarine for this. I guess you could, but if you’re going through the expense of making this thing, splurge the extra bit and buy the real stuff. It will make your crust better.
.