Meatloaf Comfort with Color Coordinated Gravy

"Blue, blue, my world is blue," as the song goes for those of us fossils old enough to remember. A blue forum... how about that? Anyway, turkey meatloaf is on the menu tonight. Meatloaf is one of my favorite classic comfort foods. Normally, I do not use a pan because
1) I can.
2) I do not have to hassle with draining a grease soaked loaf.
However, I was recently gifted with a cast iron bread/meatloaf pan. Fortunately, I had some lean ground turkey (93/7 lean) on hand, so not too much grease will saturate the meat. The size of the pan is perfect for a recipe that calls for two pounds of ground meat. Let me show you this pan--



On with the meal. I used your basic meatloaf recipe and added chopped green bell pepper, celery seed, and of course substituted turkey for beef.



Then, to stuff the pan. See?-- a perfect fit for two pounds of meat.



On to the pit. Got my new TJ's charcoal going in split charcoal racks in the main chamber, with a foil pouch of hickory chips to work its magic. Thermometers set and we're off and running



1 hour 15 minutes, it's done. Oh my, that cast iron is hot! You know that meatloaf is going to keep hot for a while, too.



Time to plate. Oh goody! Mmmmm..., comfort food, with mashed taters and beans.



Oh wait!!! One thing remains-- my favorite way to dress a meatloaf, the gravy! Who says food can't be fun? Or this forum still has color issues. Sorry friends, I just could not resist. Please trust me the gravy was delicious.

Did you invite some Smurfs over for dinner?

The pan looks like it might benefit from an insert that would keep a meatloaf slightly elevated and out of the grease. How well does it work for bread?

Ya had me all the way until the last picture. Kinda looks like a smurf threw up all over your food.

+1 to Griffin's comments.

The blue forum has grown on my and is far more soothing to the eyes than prior versions. But there are certain colors not found in nature, like that blue, that I don't want anywhere near my food. But to each there own. Pass me a slice please and hold the gravy.

I am curious...assuming you used as much chips/chunks as you normally wood....Did you notice any difference in smokiness because your meatloaf was covered on five of the six sides with that c/i pan? I always do smoked meatloaf panless and getting good smoke exposure was the main reason.

Jim

Smurfs?-- You guys are a riot!

Brad-- I don't know about wheat bread yet, but it works terrific for cornbread. Nuttin' like cornbread made in cast iron. Consistent coloring all the way around, and what you see on the top is exactly the color of the bottom and sides.

Jim-- Your suspicions are correct. There is a significant reduction in the smokiness of flavor with the pan. Moreover, I also lose the beautiful smoke rings. But I had some smokey flavor, the meat cooked wonderfully, and tasted out-of-this-world delicious. Anyway, while I still had the same amount of hickory chips going as normal, I did insightfully reduce the amount of briquettes than I would with Kingsford since these burn hotter.

I think the Smurfs are IN the gravy
not dinner guests. Last pic was a real shock!

-YB

Smurf's is a good one, I was going to ask if it was melted blue playdoe....

Great looking meatloaf, I bet it's some even cooking with that cast iron pan...

+2 to Griffin's comment! That meatloaf looks amazing. I'll have a slice, hold the gravy too... Too funny, beercuer! Were your teeth blue after eating that?

Blue, pink I don't care I'm just glad to have a forum to visit!

Griffin wrote:

Ya had me all the way until the last picture. Kinda looks like a smurf threw up all over your food.

Nice job beercuer. I also have a cast iron bread pan I have not broken in. This seems like a good idea.

Thanks, Folks

Sroach-- You are most right... even cooking all the way around in that cast iron . I was delighted about that, especially that the bottom did not blacken.

Dyal-- I did not check, but I suspect my teeth were a bit blue after that meal, at least my tongue anyway. Tee-he, sounds like crime scene evidence, but I testify that no Smurfs were harmed in this production.

Smokin'gal-- How about that? You have a new pan, too. I suspect you will be delighted. Do you also like to top your meatloaf with gravy or something else?

beercuer wrote:

Smokin'gal-- How about that? You have a new pan, too. I suspect you will be delighted. Do you also like to top your meatloaf with gravy or something else?

I haven't eaten meatloaf since I was forced to do so as a kid. Once I work through the culinary traumas experienced at the hands of my mother's God-aweful cooking, I hope to give smoked meatloaf a try. Baby steps.