GOOD EATS MEAT LOAF

Alton Brown

6-oz garlic-flavored croutons
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
½ red bell pepper
18-ounce ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 12-teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:

½ cup catsup
1-tablespoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce 1-tablespoon honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme.  Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture.  Place this mixture into a large bowl.  Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl.  Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed.  Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture.  Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt.  Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf.  Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray.  Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf.  Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe.  Set the probe for 155 degrees.  Put into a 325 degree oven.  Meat loaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey.  Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Make your own ground chuck and sirloin: Cut a 18-oz sirloin steak and 18-oz chuck roast into 1 ½ by 1 ½ inch pieces.  Put a quarter of the pieces into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times with each pulse about 1 second.  Repeat until all the meat is processed.