Cast Iron Free-Form Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on July 8, 2017
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 cup water ¼ ounce dried porcini mushroom, rinsed16 square or 18 round saltines 10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra as needed1 onion, chopped fineSalt and pepper 4 garlic cloves, minced1 pound ground pork 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef ¾ teaspoon minced fresh thyme ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 ½ cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Microwave water and porcini mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain porcini mushrooms in fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filter, reserve ¾ cup liquid, and mince porcini mushrooms.
- Process saltines in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to large bowl. Pulse half of white mushrooms in now-empty processor until finely ground, 8 to 10 pulses.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground white mushrooms, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl with saltines and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- Add pork, eggs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ cup reserved porcini liquid to cooled mushroom-saltine mixture and gently knead with hands until mostly combined. Add beef and knead until well combined. Transfer meat mixture to now-empty skillet and shape into 10 by 6-inch loaf. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until meatloaf registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.
- Using potholders, remove skillet from oven. Using spatula, transfer meatloaf to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while making gravy.
- Thinly slice remaining white mushrooms. Being careful of hot skillet handle, discard any solids left in skillet and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat. (If necessary, add extra oil to equal 2 tablespoons.) Add minced porcini mushrooms, sliced white mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in broth, remaining ½ cup reserved porcini liquid, and remaining ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until gravy is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice meatloaf and serve with mushroom gravy.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
1 cup water
¼ ounce dried porcini mushroom, rinsed
16 square or 18 round saltines
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
¾ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
Ingredients
1 cup water
¼ ounce dried porcini mushroom, rinsed
16 square or 18 round saltines
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
¾ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
Ingredients
1 cup water
¼ ounce dried porcini mushroom, rinsed
16 square or 18 round saltines
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
¾ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional meatloaf recipes call for using a loaf pan, which can be problematic: The meat stews in its own juices, and only the top of the meatloaf develops any browning. Adopting a free-form method in the skillet allowed the sides and top of our meatloaf to brown nicely. A triple dose of mushrooms contributed great texture and depth of flavor: We soaked earthy dried porcini mushrooms and then added their potent soaking liquid to the loaf along with processed white mushrooms; the rehydrated porcini and more white mushrooms added depth and texture to our gravy. The versatile cast-iron skillet was the perfect tool for sautéing the mushrooms, baking the meatloaf, and then building the accompanying rich, mushroom-studded gravy.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Microwave water and porcini mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain porcini mushrooms in fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filter, reserve ¾ cup liquid, and mince porcini mushrooms.
- Process saltines in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to large bowl. Pulse half of white mushrooms in now-empty processor until finely ground, 8 to 10 pulses.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground white mushrooms, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl with saltines and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- Add pork, eggs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ cup reserved porcini liquid to cooled mushroom-saltine mixture and gently knead with hands until mostly combined. Add beef and knead until well combined. Transfer meat mixture to now-empty skillet and shape into 10 by 6-inch loaf. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until meatloaf registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.
- Using potholders, remove skillet from oven. Using spatula, transfer meatloaf to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while making gravy.
- Thinly slice remaining white mushrooms. Being careful of hot skillet handle, discard any solids left in skillet and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat. (If necessary, add extra oil to equal 2 tablespoons.) Add minced porcini mushrooms, sliced white mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in broth, remaining ½ cup reserved porcini liquid, and remaining ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until gravy is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice meatloaf and serve with mushroom gravy.
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