As we roll into late winter, the days feel like the really start to drag. The weather is still cold, but mud season is underway and for us that means the sap is flowin' and sugaring season is here! For the Stewart Maple crew, we start to see summer is just around the corner, but still not close enough for us to really enjoy the warm days that make the sap flow from the trees. And I'm sure we are not the only ones who start to become so bored with the crock-pot dinners and comfort foods we've been eating since the harvest season (seriously, we love mashed potatoes but there is only so many days in the month I can eat carrots, pot roast and mashed potatoes anymore!) We crave those summer flavors.
Luckily, this maple-glazed meatloaf checks all the boxes! A fresh, bright and tangy glaze gives us a taste of summertime brightness while the meatloaf still has the comfort-food element that we still need for the freezing nights of March. The big kicker? This meatloaf really brings the excitement of mashed potatoes on our plates back (at least at the Stewart Maple table!)
We hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
Meatloaf:
• 1 lb ground bison (or ground beef, you can find both at Bald Mountain Farm)
• ¼ c sweet onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• ¼ c grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ c Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ pepper
Glaze:
• 1/3 c ketchup (I use Baird Farm Maple Ketchup)
• 3 tbsp Stewart Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Sauté onions and garlic until onions soften (1-2 minutes). Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine ground bison, sautéed onion and garlic, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated (I use my hands, but you can use a fork. Just be careful not to over work the meat).
• Shape meat mixture and place in greased loaf pan.
• In a separate bowl, add glaze ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Pour glaze over meatloaf – reserve any extra and put aside. Helpful hint: You want to minimize the amount of glaze in the base of the loaf pan, as the maple syrup will burn and adhere to the bottom of the pan. Cover the top of the loaf, but do not pour excess into the pan.
• Bake meatloaf for 40 minutes. Allow loaf to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
• While baking, reduce remaining glaze over low heat in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
• Slice meatloaf, top with extra glaze and enjoy!
Tips:
• Ditch those darn mashed potatoes and serve with your favorite crispy potatoes or this Sweet Potato Hash!
• Use leftovers to make a warm meatloaf sandwich (it is basically a burger).
• Double this recipe and increase bake time to 1 hour for a feast fit for the whole sugarhouse.
This recipe is a Stewart Maple and Forkd collaboration. For more great recipes, check out www.forkd.squarespace.com