Recipe: Meatloaf in a Pressure Cooker

HOW TO COOK MEATLOAF IN A PRESSURE COOKER
(Originally posted on TKL by Char, August 12th 1998)

You can cook the meatloaf right in the pressure cooker, either on the rack over water (which would be pressure steaming the loaf) or directly in the pan. Here's how:

Make a standard meatloaf - for example 1 pound ground beef with about 3/4 cup bread or oatmeal, the usual veggies etc. Shape into a loaf and brown the top side for 2-3 minutes in the pressure cooker using just enough of your favorite oil or cooking spray to keep it from sticking. Turn the loaf over and add to the pan about 1 cup of liquid (I use part de-fatted beef broth and part red wine). Lock down the lid, bring the pan to pressure,
and cook under pressure for about 25 minutes. You can
release the pressure under cold water or let it sit and let the pressure drop on its own, which is nice if you want it to stay hot for awhile. It won't get all dried out while it waits. This makes a moist and flavorful loaf and doesn't heat up the kitchen like an hour in the oven does!

To pressure steam, make the loaf, put it on the oil-sprayed rack and put the rack in the pressure cooker over 1 cup or so of water. Bring up to pressure and then cook about 25 minutes.
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Also, here is a meatloaf recipe previously posted on TKL by Joel. This is a big favorite for many.
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JOEL'S PERFECT MEAT LOAF
Source: The Perfect Recipe by Pam Anderson

Serves: 6-8

(If you like, you can double the glaze and omit the bacon topping from the loaf. Brush on half the glaze before baking, and the other half during the last 15 minutes of baking time. )

Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

* cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 Tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider or white vinegar Meat Loaf

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
* teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
* cup milk, buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
1 pound ground chuck
* pound ground veal
* pound ground pork
2/3 cup quick oatmeal or saltine crackers crushed
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 ounces thin-sliced bacon (8-9 slices)

1. Glaze: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Meat Loaf: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and garlic, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes; set aside to cool.

3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and milk or yogurt. In a large bowl add egg mixture to the ground chuck,
ground veal and ground pork. Next add the oatmeal or crackers (depending upon what you have decided to add), parsley, cooked onion and garlic; mix with a fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture does stick, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue stirring until mixture stops sticking.)

4. Turn the meat mixture onto a work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into a loaf approximately 9x5 inches.

5. To bake free-form: Cover a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork to allow drainage. Place rack on a shallow roasting pan lined with foil for easy cleanup. Set formed loaf on rack. Brush loaf with all of glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under the loaf to prevent curling.

6. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 F., about 1 hour. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

7. To bake in a loaf pan: Omit bacon and double glaze. Turn meat mixture into a loaf pan WITH a PERFORATED bottom, fitted with a drip pan. Use a fork to pull mixture away from pan sides. Brush mixture with half of the glaze.

Bake until glaze is set, about 45 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze and continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 160 F about 15 minutes longer.