More meat, less loaf

The food perfectionists at Cook’s Illustrated are onto something with this recipe. A mushroom mixture adds moisture and flavor to classic meatloaf, and traditional ketchup glaze gets a zesty twist.

Of course, when I tested it previously the process was more arduous. And I told them so. I had to pulverize dried mushrooms into what the family lovingly calls porcini dust — the stuff was messy, but magic. I also had to process a portion of the pork with the eggs. Having only stuck meat in a food processor once before, I was hesitant, but when done properly, it does work. (Click here for the slammin' salami sauce video. Great over pasta.)

The result was a deliciously flavored main dish, our resident meatloaf aficionados agree. But, I’m glad the Test Kitchen folks made some changes to help save steps, and time. Gone are the porcini dust and meat processor steps, in are sautéed mushrooms and onions.

Here is the CI version in video form. You can also check out the current Cook's Illustrated issue for the more-meat-less-loaf recipe and plenty of other great tips. Enjoy!