When food styling goes bad

[Jenise]

So week after next I have another big event coming up with the neighborhood wine club. Calling it Holiday Leftovers, we're serving all the unopened bottles culled from the past year's overflow with hot and crusty meat loaf sliders.

When I make meat loaf, I don't follow a recipe. I just go in whatever direction inspires me (Asian, French, Italian, Mediterranean and Cheeseburger are favorites) and stick to a certain ratio of base ingredients: 1 egg per pound of meat, etc. But in spite of knowing exactly how I'll put these together, for a big group thing I decided to look at some recipes for the meat component to help me make up my about flavor direction.

My first inquiry went to Ina Garten, because surely she would have published a meat loaf recipe. On that she did not disappoint, but the photo supplied by the food stylist is downright offensive. The written recipe puts a modest amount of tomato paste into the loaf and slathers it with ketchup. But the photo shows no ketchup consistency around the sides, just a ridiculous thick layer of what could only have been raw tomato paste, only on top, applied with, say, a putty knife. Not at all what the recipe calls for nor attractive.

And that's supposed to be enticing?

Coincidentally, we're hosting a New Year's Day brunch at our house with a bunch of close friend. The theme is "food that was popular the year you were born". I was looking at some sort of riff on chop suey, which was quite popular in the 1958. Then I thought I might go with a Jello mold that incorporated a layer of Long Island Iced Tea Jello (which would have meaning for this particular group). But ultimately I decided to go with meat loaf. I'll be doing meat loaf sliders with a ketchup based glaze via Alton Brown that includes cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and some hot pepper sauce.

Great minds think alike (or at least similarly)!

The recipe puts a modest amount of tomato paste into the loaf and slathers it with ketchup. But the photo shows a ridiculous thick layer of what could only have been raw tomato paste, only on top, applied with, say, a putty knife. Not at all what the recipe calls for nor attractive.

And that's supposed to be enticing?

If it's the one I just googled up, eww.

[Robin Garr]

If it's the one I just googled up, eww.

This one?
https://www.recipe-diaries.com/ina-gart ... af-recipe/

ina loaf.jpg

Eww, indeed! My reaction to the photo is the same as the diner customer in an old George Booth cartoon. In the first frame he says, "I'll have the tomato omigosh." In the second frame the waitress has put the plate in front of him and he says, "Omigosh!"

-Paul W.

If it's the one I just googled up, eww.

This one?

After it was cut open, yes.

I watched the video of Ina making her meatloaf, and that picture is not hers. I found that picture on someone else's website, so it must be the owner who was presented. Ina said she added 1/2 cup of catsup on top of 2 lbs of meat, 3 cups of onions. Makes no difference really, but Ina's photo looks a bit cleaner and has a parsley garnish.

[Jenise]

Either way, I'm totally opposed to ketchup. Ina's recipe leans sweet and simple, like if McDonalds makes meatloaf this is what they'd make. That's not for me.

I'm good with a ketchup based glaze over meat loaf, but I'd need to spice it up. My wife, however, is like you, Jenise. She's completely opposed to ketchup of any sort on her meat loaf, so it's a no-go for me.

I'm good with a ketchup based glaze over meat loaf, but I'd need to spice it up. My wife, however, is like you, Jenise. She's completely opposed to ketchup of any sort on her meat loaf, so it's a no-go for me.

I use a ketchup-based glaze or bbq sauce on my meatloaf. Never any complaints.

I use a mustard and brown sugar (or apricot or peach jam) as the glaze for my meatloaf most of the time. Never ketchup. Though I do use a bit of ketchup as one of the ingredients in the loaf.

[Jenise]

You want a neat glaze? Try oyster sauce!

You want a neat glaze? Try oyster sauce!

I likes me tomatoes in almost any form, incl. ketchup. But oyster sauce glaze sounds good: rich dark umami on the outside (heh, kinda what you get if your ketchup cooks long enough).

I grew up with meatloaf made with a ketchup glaze, but as a glaze, not the thick slop in that image.

-Paul W.

There are some great BBQ sauces on the market right now, some from small family-owned businesses. I taste, then usually add what I think is needed. Usually, an Asian ingredient or a fresh lemon or lime does the trick. I've also used cocktail sauce with some sort of add-on, and I like that, as well. I've also learned that oyster sauce can be used to brighten up many dishes, just like a splash of balsamic, lemon, or lime. We never stop learning in the cooking world.

[Jenise]

I have never resorted to glazes, to be honest. My mother smothered hers with tomato sauce and sliced pimento stuffed olives, right off the cover of a 1956 meat book she owned. I DETESTED IT. Ina's recipe, with the tomato paste in the meat and tons of onions reminds me of it. For most of my own life I've brushed a loaf with worcestershire or soy sauce over the top and dusted it with parmesan cheese because I adore the salty, flavorful crust that results.

But separate from that, somewhere along the way I created my own Asian meat loaf with five spice, cilantro, green onions and chopped water chestnuts. I shape the loaves free form in long, 2" narrow tubes glazed with oyster sauce, and serve in half inch slices as appies. Massively popular at parties as an alternative to the usual cheese and crackers kind of thing.

I'm pretty set on my meatloaf recipe, and I get a good crust out of salt and pepper, but worcestershire and parm sounds like a great topper. I'll give that a try next time I make one (which won't be long as it's one of my wife's favorite dishes).