Don’t overlook the benefits of a good meatloaf; though humble, it can be just the thing for a comforting meal, and leftovers make great sandwiches.
Turkey meatloaf offers a lighter take on the classic, but because store-bought ground turkey is fine and pasty, it often comes out dense and mushy. To fix this, we exchanged the usual bread panade for quick oats, which added some chew and opened up the loaf’s texture.
Cornstarch, Parmesan, butter, and egg yolks enriched the turkey’s thin juices and added more body. Because turkey’s mild flavor is easily overwhelmed, we kept the other add-ins modest. Instead, we gave our meatloaf a double coat of glaze, letting the first dry in the oven so the second would adhere.
Baking our loaf free-form permitted more space for glazing. Do not use 99 percent lean ground turkey. The pinch of baking soda helps the onions soften quickly. Three tablespoons of rolled oats, chopped fine, can be substituted for the quick oats; do not use steel-cut oats.
TURKEY MEATLOAF
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 2 hours
Meatloaf:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch baking soda
1/2 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons quick oats
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 pounds of 85 percent or 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Glaze:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
21/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Nutrition information per serving: 341 calories; 157 calories from fat; 18 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 172 mg cholesterol; 793 mg sodium; 20 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 15 g sugar; 26 g protein.
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