Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of the easier things I've ever made.  I just combined all the ingredients and followed the instructions and it came out great.  The loaf is moist and tender with the ketchup glaze giving it a nice contrasting sweet flavor.  This is just great, easy comfort food.

ingredients:
serves 5-6 people

1.  2 LBS 85% lean ground beef
2.  3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
3.  1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4.  1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
5.  1 medium rib celery, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
6.  1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
7.  2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
8.  1 teaspoon paprika
9.  1/4 cup tomato juice
10.  1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11.  2 large eggs
12.  1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (powdered)
13.  1 tablespoon soy sauce
14.  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15.  2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
16.  2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
17.  3/4 teaspoon table salt
18.  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Glaze: 
19.  1/2 cup ketchup
20.  1 teaspoon hot sauce
21.  1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
22.  1/4 cup cider vinegar
23.  3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar


recipe:
1.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.  Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use.
3.  Place parchment paper onto a baking sheet, then place a wire rack on top of the parchment.  Cut out a 10" x 6" rectangle of parchment paper.  Place the parchment rectangle onto the middle of the wire rack and proceed to poke many relatively large holes into it.  You will cook the loaf on the rectangle parchment and the excess fat will drip down onto the baking sheet.
4.  Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
5.  Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6.  Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.
7.  Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes.
8.  Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture.
9.  Crumble frozen cheese into coarse powder and sprinkle over mixture.
10.  Add ground beef and mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
note:
It's important not to overwork the meat.  Be gentle when mixing and only mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  It should NOT be paste like.
11.  Transfer meat to parchment rectangle and shape into rectangle with a 2" height.
note:
The parchment rectangle should barely be big enough to hold the meatloaf.  You want as much fat to drip off the sides of the parchment so cut it down if you can to make the rectangle as small as possible.
12.  Smooth top and edges of meatloaf with moistened spatula.
13.  Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, 55 to 65 minutes.
14.  Remove meatloaf from oven and turn on broiler.
15.  While meatloaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
16.  Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meatloaf with rubber spatula and place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 5 minutes.
17.  Remove meatloaf from oven, spread evenly with remaining glaze and place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more.
18.  Let meatloaf cool about 10 minutes then using 2 spatulas, transfer meat loaf to a serving plate so that it doesn't sit in its own fat and grease. 
19.  Cut into slices and serve.