Turkey Meatloaf

I know this post may seem like quite a downgrade from the M & M's Cookies that I shared with you this past weekend, (whose photo, I might add, was accepted by Food Gawker! Hollaaaa!!) but I wanted to give you an example of what I'm trying to explain here. Did you ever have those moments in your childhood when you would walk into the kitchen -- excited for dinner -- only to see a particular dish on the table and have your eagerness deflated? Or, have you ever gone to your favorite food blog and seen a dish that didn't seem appetizing at all after you thought there could never be a recipe shared that you would never not like from that blogger?

Well, a meal that leads to such uninspiring instances for me would have to be meatloaf. It could be because it is not what one would consider ‘pretty.’ It could be because you put leftovers in a sandwich, which just seems odd to me. You don’t put leftovers of other baked, casserole-type dishes in a sandwich. It could also be because it was my brother’s favorite meal and it is my duty, as the baby sister, to be contrary. In fact at one of my bridal showers, everyone was asked to bring a recipe and what did my mom bring? “BJ’s Favorite Meatloaf.” BJ is my brother. This was my shower. I guess I will be the baby for life.

Ironically, I married a man who adores meatloaf about as much as my brother does. So when I saw this recipe a couple of months ago on Saveur.com, I thought “I bet even I would like this.” And then I let it sit on my mind -- ruminating for a few weeks before I finally committed (hence why I am giving you a middle-of-the-Winter dinner suggestion even though Spring is five days away).

This version of meatloaf was so worth the wait. The dish was unbelievably moist, soft yet accommodating to being served in slices (but not in sandwiches – still not into that yet), and, most importantly, super-easy to make. The sauce was tangy yet sweet and was just as delicious on the mashed potatoes as the meat. In fact, the next time I make it, I will double the sauce for that reason. I have worked that adjustment into the recipe below. You can thank me later.

Turkey Meatloaf
Adapted from Use Real Butter which was discovered on Saveur

1 pound ground turkey
3/4 cup bread crumbs
, Garlic flavored (you can also use regular bread crumbs and add a tablespoon of garlic powder but I went with the all-inclusive approach)
1 egg

1 small onion, minced

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce


salt and pepper to taste

8 oz red currant jelly
 (you may have to look hard for this type of jelly but I promise you it is there)
2 jars chili sauce (I used Heinz chili sauce – it is in the same aisle as the tomato sauces if I remember correctly)

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat red currant jelly in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add the chili sauce and stir until combined. Keep on low heat until ready to serve. Mix (with your hands, preferably) ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pour about ½ a cup of the sauce into the turkey and mix well. Scoop the mixture into a loaf pan and pat down with a spoon or your fingers. Pour a cup of the sauce over the top. Bake for an hour. Serve with remaining sauce.