Yankee Magazine food editor Amy Traverso poured through the archives going back many decades, in search of the best vintage recipes from readers. When I spotted this recipe for brown paper bag meatloaf, I knew we had to try it. And why drag out the suspense? We loved it!
When we called senior contributor Chris Prosperi, and asked him to make it, he didn’t have a brown paper bag on hand, but he took Amy’s advice. Chris did the meatloaf per the simple instructions, wrapping the loaf in buttered parchment paper instead. Amy says brown paper or parchment both produce the same wonderful results. And she’s right. The meatloaf has fantastic flavor and texture — crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
Fair warning, I say make enough for meatloaf sandwiches the next day. You’re going to want them.
Photo: Amy Traverso, courtesy of Yankee Magazine (see Amy’s post on New England.com)
- 1 1/4 pound ground beef
- 3/4 pound ground pork
- 2 large eggs
- 1 medium-size yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 medium-size green pepper finely chopped
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and use clean hands to gently toss them together until evenly mixed.
- Lay a piece of parchment approximately 18x13 inches into a rimmed baking sheet, and turn the meat mixture onto the paper. Shape into a rounded loaf; then wrap completely in parchment to form a neat package, tucking the ends underneath.
- Transfer the loaf on the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 160°, about 1 ½ hours. Let cool 10 minutes; then remove the parchment and serve.
