Meatloaf is a staple that every cook should have in her repertoire, as it is popular with most family members and can be used to make scrumptious leftover meatloaf sandwiches. It also provides excellent cover for "yukky" veggies that young children typically reject. Turkey meatloaf is as tasty as meatloaf prepared with beef, and can cost less to make, as well.
Gathering Ingredients
To make turkey meatloaf, you'll need 1 ½ pounds ground turkey. Keep in mind that ground turkey is not necessarily lower in fat than ground beef. According to the National Turkey Federation, the fat content of ground turkey can range from 7 percent to 17 percent. breast, which is considered a separate product, contains from 1 to 3 percent fat. However, breast will produce a meatloaf that is quite dry.
You'll also need 1 ½ cups dried bread crumbs. You can make them yourself out of healthy whole wheat bread by putting chunks of bread in your blender and grinding them into crumbs. This will add fiber to your meatloaf. Bake at 250 degrees until dry and crunchy. You can also buy premade dry bread crumbs.
Set aside ½ cup milk, one onion, two cloves garlic and ½ tsp. of dried rosemary. For the topping, you'll need ½ cup ketchup, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp. and ½ tsp. dried mustard.
Preparing the Meatloaf
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Put the turkey meat in a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Add these to the turkey mixture along with the rosemary, milk, and 1 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Mix together well. One way to mix meatloaf thoroughly is to simply use your hands to meld the ingredients together. You may want to use a pair of thin latex gloves for this purpose.
Transfer the meatloaf to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and shape. In a small bowl, mix the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and dried mustard powder. Spread it over the meatloaf.
Bake for one hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the loaf reads 160 degrees. After the meatloaf is done, allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until the juices settle.
Try serving with garlic mashed potatoes, candied carrots and dinner rolls for a delicious traditional meal.
Delicious Add-Ins
To add extra flavor and nutrition to your meatloaf, try mixing one or two of these ingredients into the meatloaf.
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup grated zucchini
½ diced red pepper
1 cup grated potato
½ cup chopped spinach
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup sautéed minced mushrooms
Tags: bread crumbs, ground turkey, brown sugar, ,
