Description
So, who has watched Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu and said, huh, I have NEVER thought of putting Ritz crackers in my meatloaf? Anyone? Just me? So, I watch the episode where Kerry Washington puts Ritz crackers in the meatloaf and I said I have got to try that! And so, I decided to dust off my old meatloaf recipe and give it a major upgrade! This is the best damn meatloaf you’re mama never made.
I HATED meatloaf growing up. It was just gross. I don’t know what my mom put into it, but dumping a layer of ketchup on top, ugh, NO, just, NO. As an adult, I have come to love meatloaf as such a homey dinner and always a Sunday favorite. I just completely skip the traditional topping because, still, NO, just, gross. But, when I upgraded the ketchup to a whiskey glaze, wow, sign me up for grown up meatloaf!
Now, kids can of course eat this meal. The whiskey cooks off and your kids aren’t going to be falling over drunk at the dinner table. But, I still consider this grown up meatloaf because it is such a HUGE improvement from the meatloaf you had as a kid.
The first thing that gives this meatloaf a major upgrade is fresh herbs! Fresh herbs always make dishes pop a little more. I mean seriously, go look at other meatloaf recipes and MAYBE you’ll find some fresh parsley. COME ON PEOPLE! Make your meatloaf sing to you! The thyme and rosemary give SO much flavor. Rather than an onion, I switched it up to shallots! They have a milder flavor with a bit of sweetness and a hint of garlic.
The whiskey glaze is super easy to whip together. I made a roux to start because I wanted the sauce to be thicker. I wanted it to really grab on to the meatloaf. The pinch of cayenne gives the tiniest zing and smokiness to the sauce. Really, it all comes together deliciously. This takes an hour in the oven, so plan accordingly! And oooo, those Ritz crackers keep the meatloaf feeling light, rather than a heavy brick of a loaf.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Meatloaf
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crumbled (just over 1 cup)
⅓ cup heavy cream
1½ lbs lean ground beef
1 large shallot, finely minced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 TB Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 TB fresh thyme, minced
1 TB fresh rosemary, minced
2 tsps Himalayan salt
Whiskey Glaze
1 TB butter
1 heaping TB flour
¼ cup whiskey
¼ cup ketchup
2 TB soy sauce
2 TB brown sugar
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° with the rack in the middle position. Place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, using your hands, thoroughly mix together the ground beef, Ritz crackers, heavy cream, shallots, Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, eggs, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Shape the meat into an oval loaf, about 9”x4” and place on the rack on the baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the whiskey, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and pepper. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for about one minute ~ the roux should be golden. Slowly add the whiskey mix, stirring constantly until well combined. Bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready.
After 40 minutes, spread the whiskey glaze over the meat loaf. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until the meatloaf has an internal temperature of 150°. Transfer to a platter or cutting board. Slice and serve.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Meatloaf, Grown-up Meatloaf, Meatloaf with a Whiskey Glaze, Savory Meatloaf