Ina's Mini Meat Loaves

McHubby and I love meatloaf, so when Tonya of What’s on My Plate chose this Barefoot Bloggers selection, I was happy to try Ina’s recipe. I used one package of ground chuck and a package of lean ground beef to lighten it up a little. Other than that small change, I kept to the recipe pretty closely. The onion mixture sauce smelled so good, and while it seemed like a lot of onions, they provided a sweet flavor after they were sautéed. For shaping the loaves, I actually used my mini loaf silicone pan.

These little meat loaves were tasty and perfectly sized for individual portions. While we enjoyed these, I have to confess that we still prefer our favorite meatloaf. Maybe I’ll just make our favorite in the smaller, individual size next time.

Source: Individual Meat Loaves, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 ½ pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
½ cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
½ cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.