Classic Low Carb Meatloaf

One of my favorite childhood meals was meatloaf and mashed potatoes. My new version uses low carb swaps with a serving of mashed cauliflower.

Both ground sirloin and ground chuck work well here, but avoid ground round—it is gristly and bland. Meatloaf needs fat in order to not crumble and fall apart, which is why ground pork is added. The mix doesn’t need to be 50/50, but the pork needs to make up at least 30%.

You can also skip the glaze entirely and cover the meatloaf with slices of bacon instead. If you weave the bacon into a lattice, you’ll be a hero on Instagram.

Meatloaf

Serves 6 // 608 calories, 36g protein, 21g fat, 8g net carbs

Glaze
1 cup Primal Kitchen sugarless ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar-style Swerve sweetener, packed
2-1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Cholula)

Meatloaf
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped celery
2 large pasture-raised eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
1 tablespoon onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup basil pesto
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Cholula)
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground pasture-raised beef
1 pound ground pasture-raised pork

For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan and set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Sauté the chopped celery in olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then add cream, onion and garlic powders, pesto, thyme,  Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper until well blended. Add sautéed celery. Add ground beef and pork, mixing by hand quickly and lightly until just combined. Don’t overwork, it will make the meatloaf tough.

On the lined baking pan, shape the mixture into a 9″ x 5″ loaf. Pour one-quarter of the glaze over the top of the loaf, spreading evenly.

Bake until glaze has set, about 45 minutes. Top with another one-quarter of the glaze and continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 155 degrees with an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes longer. Cool 15 minutes before serving to allow the juices inside the meatloaf time to redistribute and settle.

While the meatloaf is cooling, heat the remains glaze and reduce it until it has thickened slightly.

Cut the meatloaf into six slices and serve with the glaze, passed separately.

Serve with Mashed Cauliflower.