Why meatloaf is gross

As a born-and-bred Chicagoan whose parents are from the heart of Indiana, I know me some Midwest. Solidified brown mush. That is the culinary embodiment of how the rest of the country sees the Midwest. How can you not adore this magnificent creation?

Even the recipes are slavishly uninspired. Take that, Thomas Keller! And what do you serve with meatloaf, anyway? Then finally, when I was living in Missoula, Montana, I decided to get back on the beef train coincidentally, my stage name in college. As long as you are not responsible for any of the abject horrors below, take a deep breath, your meatloaf is doing a pretty good job.

The problem with meatloaf is that even if it tastes great, it rarely looks great. We think we should all maybe agree, as friends, to stop subjecting each other to things like this. As one of our editors said, "Think of all that rosemary. In your mouth. Pull it out.

No, old cookbook. We don't like your olive stuffing, your pea topping, your dubious white filling. It is legitimately possible that this tasted delicious. There are things we need to visualize. Not one of them. The fat content will help ensure your meatloaf stays moist, holds together, and packs plenty of flavor, Peisker says. How to fix it: It's dinnertime. The kitchen smells good. You're hungry. But hold tight. Slicing into your meatloaf as soon as it comes out of the oven releases the juices onto the plate or the pan, and the loaf can fall apart, Peisker says.

Instead, let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before you cut into it to serve. How to fix it: A panade—which is the fancy word for a starch and liquid mixture—is the secret to keeping your meatloaf tender. But a lot of meatloaf recipes that call for breadcrumbs don't have any instructions to add liquid, says Jeremy Hood of the cooking blog KtchnDad.

Without a proper panade, you'll end up with what's essentially one giant hamburger, he says. This isn't a super quick process though; you'll want to make sure the bread crumbs soak for five to 10 minutes, he says. Follow City of Ate on Twitter.

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