If anyone tells you “you can’t catch a man with food,” well, they are sooo wrong. Food will catch a husband faster than all the bikinis in the world. It will also make your family happy. Pull this out of the oven and watch how it can make the kids put down the game controls and wash up for supper without a fight. Prepare a meatloaf and bring the family back to the table. I like to use 90% lean ground chuck bound with rolled oats, but to me it’s that touch of whole-grain mustard that brings it all together. This meatloaf is not shy on flavor.
SERVES 6
2 pounds 90% lean ground chuck
2 large eggs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Barbecue sauce , homemade or store-bought, for serving (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, eggs, onion, parsley, oats, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper (use your hands; they work best).
3. Shape the meat into a 5 × 12-inch loaf and put it on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the juices run clear, about 1 hour.
4. Serve slices topped with barbecue sauce, if you like.