Have you tried making South of the Border Meatloaf with 87/13 ground beef?

[leftymac]

I just made this for the first time. It had a good flavor, but the slices fell apart as I cut it and served it. So, it made for a lousy presentation on the plate. The recipe calls for 85/15 ground beef and I used 87/13.


What are everyone else's experience with this?

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

I would also like to know. Where I'm located you can't fine 85/15 at any grocery store. It's either 80/20 or 70/30. If it's an issue with the gbeef in why it didn't work for Keith, then it would be good to know so I can experiment with it before offering it to my hosts.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Meatloaf is meatloaf because of the binding ingredients - without it, it's just ground meat. There isn't enough binding material in this recipe to keep it together. I add an extra 1/2 cup of tortilla crumbs, and one more egg. That works.

 

[leftymac]

Meatloaf is meatloaf because of the binding ingredients - without it, it's just ground meat. There isn't enough binding material in this recipe to keep it together. I add an extra 1/2 cup of tortilla crumbs, and one more egg. That works.

Thanks, Becky!

I wonder how this recipe got past the test kitchen the way that it is, because there's clearly not enough binding material in it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks, Becky!

I wonder how this recipe got past the test kitchen the way that it is, because there's clearly not enough binding material in it.

I wondered that too. I went and checked other meatloaf recipes with the same amount of meat, and they all called for 2 eggs.

The first one I made according to the recipe, I ended up using as filling for burritos. It worked great for that!:chef:

 

[Chef Kearns]

I tend to not measure the chips. I love this recipe!! However, when I make it with ground turkey instead of gbeef it holds together much better. Very tasty either way!

 

[babywings76]

I'm making this for dinner tonight. What would be a good side dish to go with it? Also, has anyone tried making a homemade mexican rice in the rice cooker?

 

[BethCooks4U]

I used 90/10 (or was it 93?) ground beef and otherwise followed the recipe exactly and mine came out fine. It does say to let it stand 10 minutes before slicing - maybe that makes a difference??

I do my regular meatloaf different every time but have never put in more than 1 egg. The last two times I did my versions in the DCB in the microwave following the times in this recipe. Turned out great every time! LOVE, L:love:VE that baker!

 

[CathyP]

Even though I thought it tasted great, mine fell apart when I made it too. I agree there's not enough binding agent in this recipe. I would make it again, but I would follow Becky's suggestion and double the amount of tortilla chip crumbs and egg.

 

[cookingwithdot]

I make it using ground turkey and it comes out much better - it falls apart and is too greasy with the beef.

 

[heidio313]

I'm making this for dinner tonight. What would be a good side dish to go with it?

Also, has anyone tried making a homemade mexican rice in the rice cooker?

Arroz Estilo Mexicano (Mexican Rice)
1 cup chopped onion
1poblano pepper, roasted, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 can (14 ½ ounces) chicken broth
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
6 tablespoons salsa casera (picante)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Chop onion and finely chop poblano pepper using Food Chopper. Combine onion, poblano pepper, garlic pressed with Garlic Press and butter in Rice Cooker Plus. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and tender.

2. Add chicken broth, rice, salsa and salt; mix well using Classic Scraper. Cover cooker; microwave on HIGH 8 minutes (do not remove from microwave). Then, microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) for additional 20 minutes. When completed cooking, rest 5 minutes.
3. Remove cooker from microwave. Carefully remove lids, lifting away from you. Gently stir in peas and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

 

[leslieprichett]

I have made it per the directions MANY times here @ home and have not had an issue with it falling apart. I let it sit for 10 minutes or so after it's done in the microwave and slice and serve from the DCB

 

[kam]

I have made it per the directions MANY times here @ home and have not had an issue with it falling apart. I let it sit for 10 minutes or so after it's done in the microwave and slice and serve from the DCB

Yes, I agree, it probably needs to sit awhile.

I made this for a cluster meeting - and it looked like it would fall apart when I first took it out and tried to drain some of the grease. But, by the time I transported it to the meeting and we ate - it was nice and solid.

And the beauty of keeping it in the DCB with the lid on was that it stayed nice and warm!

 

[PamperedSD]

I love this recipe - the first time I made it, it fell apart. Ever since then I have made it as is and then used the mix-n-chop and served it over brown rice with a mexican ceasar salad on the side.

 

[lcucinella]

Mine has fallen apart every time I have made it. It still tastes good so I don't mind. I usually fix corn to go with it.

 

[leftymac]

I let it sit for 20 minutes, actually. 10 covered and 10 uncovered. Even two days later, the leftovers still fall apart. I will try it with more chips and another egg next time like Becky suggested.

 

[ChefetteDuJour]

Re: South of the Border Meatloaf - LITE VERSIONBumping up a thread from April '10...

My first meatloaf also fell apart.

Then I came up with this lighter version - see attached. Admittedly the lower fat beef and turkey can be hard to find, even in a metro area - but it held together beautifully (with the ==> extra egg as a binder as mentioned by Becky. 2 eggs seems to be a standard).

I would have to do a controlled test with the same ingredients, but "slapping" and working the meat Loaf while putting together cooking is an old cooking trick which I did for this version but not my first (one of the few things about cooking I learned from my mother! And she was probably working out her frustrations over 3 young kids nagging for dinner!)

SUBTHREAD FROM "BASILKITCHEN" -
http://howtomakemeatloaf.com/
SEE QUOTE from their recipe ... ===> "Mix quickly just to combine. Don't overwork the mixture or you'll get a compact loaf."

INGREDIENTS
I liked using jalapenos but my cousin told me it would probably be too spicy for the general population at a Show.

RECIPE FORMAT
This was an experiement at a 'mise en place' type recipe and "horizontal directions." I'd be interested in knowing whether they make sense to anyone. I saw something like this on an engineering cooking site and was fascinated.
Marshmallows - Test Recipes - Cooking For Engineers then scroll to bottom.

 

[BlueMoon]

Cheffette

I like your recipe and your general recipe format (What do I need? etc)

As far as the sequential mise en place (you asked for feedback)
I really like the idea, when I looked at the coking for engineers site, it was intriguing, but I am very visual and technically oriented--used to be an electronics tech, now do a lot of flow charts and stuff...and I am not real linear. So the idea worked for me, though I might have tweaked theirs a little.
BUT I don't know if it would have worked for most people. I think my brain is a little weird in the way I look at things.

Yours is not quite as easy to follow as theirs, for me. They used cell borders to guide the reader from one step to the next, and I think if you did something like this it would make it a little clearer--to me, don't know about most folks. It is so hard to ask people to look at recipes in a new way, isn't it? We're still using the same old format, but something like this would be great for a show.

Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe--and the idea. Have you done this with other recipes?

Marghi

 

[ChefetteDuJour]

Cheffette

Yours is not quite as easy to follow as theirs, for me. They used cell borders to guide the reader from one step to the next, and I think if you did something like this it would make it a little clearer--to me, don't know about most folks. It is so hard to ask people to look at recipes in a new way, isn't it? We're still using the same old format, but something like this would be great for a show.

Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe--and the idea. Have you done this with other recipes?

Marghi

Thanks for the comments, Marghi. I do think the engineering format is vastly clearer than my table, but I was also trying to incorporate the tools also which added some complexity. I wasn't actually trying to copy his style so much as to come up with my own. First attempt for the table [lower portion of recipe] - but I write all of my recipes with the ingredient first so it makes it easier to figure out if you have the stuff on hand or need to buy it.

(Warning - Soap Box Speech coming ... ) My college degree was Business/Hotel-Rest Mgmt, so my indoctrination bias is toward detailed, step by step "standardized recipes" no matter how much paper-space it requires. As a manager, your money is on the line with entry level people making them.

What Americans are used to is compact recipes that start with the quantity followed by the item and closetogetherdirections. That made sense when printing was expensive. This drives me nuts because it's so hard to assess, but I've come to peace with the fact that people just don't like detailed recipes because it looks too complicated. Same situation with listing all of the tools required (you notice TPC could do that but doesn't). It scares people, even though they end up using ALL of the tools in the end. {sigh}

That said, doing this as a guide for a Consultant doing a show might be a different matter. I would definitely expand and clarify if it was a Show Guide.

 

[BlueMoon]

Cheffette,
yes, yes, I love the idea of listing the tools first. Much easier for creating packing checklists, too, for shows.I like things that show sequence, and I also like plenty of white space for me to add notes and comments. I really like how you are always experimenting and looking for new ways to do things, and I always look for your posts.Marghi

 

[chefsteph07]

I"ve made this recipe several times for shows. I agree about adding another egg and let it sit for a bit. It also depends on how much you make. If you make a larger batch, it will fall apart more. Sometimes mine comes out in two "halves" and that's ok w/ me. I just tell them it's like a meatloaf you would make in the oven, nothing different. It doesn't deter from the demo or the recipe at all.