This succulent, tender meatloaf is made with lean, grass-fed ground beef and, as such, it’s relatively comparable in fat to a meatloaf made with turkey. I happen to have a real grudge against ground turkey, so it’s music to my ears every time I read a study that states with scientific certainty that extra lean ground beef is a suitable substitute for more health-conscious ground turkey, with, obviously, a different host of beneficial nutrients such as iron and niacin. My mom always studded her meatloaf with old fashioned oats and bell pepper instead of the more traditional bread crumbs. With this recipe, I decided to seize the best of both methods and modify her approach slightly by pulverizing the oats in a blender to make a fine grain and combining them with seasoned panko bread crumbs. I use grated carrot to add sweetness, finely chopped or grated yellow onion to add a sharpness, and a paste of roasted garlic for depth of flavor. Served alongside a hearty dollop of mashed potatoes and some butter sauteed green beans, this tastes like the America of Normal Rockwell paintings. Make it for the man in your life tonight. Or, better yet, make it for your mama.
