Meatloaf with Baked Potatoes and Buttery Green Beans
This is a great multi-dish meal for your steam oven. Everything gets cooked at the same temperature, and you get meatloaf plus sides to serve up. The recipe makes twice the meatloaf needed, so you can freeze one for another meal.
Preheat oven to Combi Steam, 350°F/180°C, 30% (low) steam. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the meatloaf
Heat the oil in a skillet/frypan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or two until it's fragrant but not browned. Stir in tomato paste and remove from heat so it can cool to room temperature.
Combine the torn bread and milk in a large bowl, mixing really well until it's thoroughly combined and forms a paste texture. Add the eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, herbs and cooled onion mixture, then mix well to combine. Add the beef and pork, then mix until it's just combined evenly. You don't want to overwork the meat or your meatloaf will be tough.
Divide meatloaf mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4x8 inch (10x20cm) loaf on one of the prepared baking sheets. The shape can be quite rustic, but I aim for something vaguely rectangular. Whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Use a spoon to spread the mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf.
½ cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Prepare the potatoes and cook
Rub salt all over the potatoes (I find this easiest if the skins are a little damp) and put them onto the other baking sheet.
4 potatoes, 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
Put the meatloaf on the lowest shelf of your oven. Put the potatoes on the upper-middle shelf. Cook until the meatloaf is nicely browned and the potatoes are golden and almost cooked through, about 35-40 minutes. The potatoes should offer just a little resistance when a small knife is inserted into the center. To check the meatloaf, an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 160°F/71°C (if you have a meat probe, use this for the meatloaf, set to 160°F/71°C, and rely on the probe for doneness rather than a set timer).
Prepare the beans
Let the meatloaf rest while you get on with the beans. Briefly remove the potatoes from the oven and push them over to one side of the baking sheet. Scatter the beans over the other side and dot them all over with the butter. Return the baking sheet to the oven until the beans are buttery and tender, and the potatoes are cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
12 oz green beans, 2 Tbsp butter
Serve
Slice the meatloaf into thick slices for serving, and cut a deep cross into the top of each baked potato, so you can squeeze them open and load up with butter or sour cream and chives. Add a pile of beans to the side of each plate and enjoy!
sour cream, butter, chives
Notes
The quantities above make two meatloaves, which is twice as much as you'll need. I thought about cutting the recipe to make just one, but it freezes and reheats in your steam oven really well, so I recommend making both loaves and freezing one for another day. To serve the second loaf, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat using Combi Steam, 320°F/160°C, 30% (low) humidity for about 25 minutes.
I use whole wheat (wholemeal) sandwich bread for the crumbs here; it's what we keep in the freezer. Feel free to use white sandwich bread if you have that instead.
I like the combination of beef and pork in this meatloaf, but you can make it with veal, turkey or chicken if you prefer. Be aware that chicken in particular makes a softer meatloaf; it's not bad but the texture is different from a red meat or pork based loaf.
Make sure you use medium potatoes in this recipe rather than large ones. They need to cook through in the right timeframe; 7oz/200g potatoes are about the right size. If you only have larger ones, start them off in the oven 10 minutes earlier, then add the meatloaf after that.