Three Takes On: Meatloaf

Bacon-wrapped meatloaf

Oregon State University (Corvallis)

This popular item at Oregon State University (OSU), served in the university’s Southern barbecue concept called Cooper’s Creek BBQ, combines beef and pork in a different way—by wrapping bacon around the meatloaf before baking. “I thought about all the ingredients that usually go into meatloaf and picked it apart and added some twists,” says Jay Perry, OSU’s executive chef. “I purée the mirepoix instead of dicing it. Instead of salt, I use soy sauce as my sodium. I use a finer grind on the meat and I love using panko as my breadcrumb. I serve it with cheddar mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.”

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Tex-mex chili loaf

The Valley Hospital (Ridgewood, N.J.)

“This is a twist on one of the most popular meals that we sell in our retail locations, Build Your Own Taco Salad,” explains John Graziano, executive chef at the hospital. “Our customers love comfort food and they love Tex-Mex. So we put the two together.”

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Osumc’s turkey/beef meatloaf

Ohio State University Medical Center (Columbus)

Culinary Director Drew Patterson says this is a modified recipe for an Italian meatball that he made when he worked at a country club. “We use a 90/10 ground beef/turkey blend,” he explains. “It is 60% ground beef and 40% dark meat, skin-off turkey. We use this to control the fat content and selected the dark meat turkey to add that moisture and flavor back into the mix. The meatloaf has always been one of our most popular items.”

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