Grandmas’s Old Fashioned Meatloaf is actually a Meat-Extender Loaf. This meatloaf really caught my eye when I saw it for the first time. Grandmas in those days had to come up with ways to extend their food. Remember these recipes came from people that lived during the Depression. Many of them, hopefully, were able to raise or buy sides of beef or veal. As you know, veal is from calves, rather than full-grown cows, so you could raise them for food, more quickly. So they were less expensive. And, I really loved the extra presentation frosting.
This meatloaf was a real highlight in my family
So, starting with 1 lb veal, ground, 1/2 lb pork, ground, and 3/4 pound beef, ground. Or, if you were lucky, you could just use 2 1/4 lbs of veal, ground.
1/2 teaspoon powdered sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
About 1/2 a cup of soft bread crumbs or oatmeal. (I used oatmeal.)
2 eggs, beaten a little
1/3 copy liquid (milk or tomato juice) I used tomato juice.
1 cup peas
A cup of thinly sliced carrots
2 and 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (not soft and fluffy, actually kinda dry)
1/4 cup ketchup
Flour as needed
Then you put together everything except the potatoes, ketchup, and flour. Also, keep out 1 tablespoon of beaten eggs. They will be used later. Then you mix very well and put in a medium-sized baking pan (This will serve either two meals to a family of four, or a family of eight. Remember a lot of kids was the norm in those days.) It says to use moderate heat for about 1 1/2 hours. I think I used 350, but I don’t actually remember. So, keep an eye on it and use a meat thermometer to make sure it cooks all the way through.
I always was ready for gravy
You make a nice gravy sauce by thickening liquid from the loaf or the meat drippings with two tablespoons of flour blended with cold water for every cup of liquid. (I used to keep a mayonnaise jar with flour and water in my refrigerator.) Then add the ketchup to that making it nice and smooth.
Then you add the special part of this meatloaf
Then the piece de resistance! After you unmold the meatloaf onto a baking sheet, frost with the mashed potatoes. Brush it with the beaten egg and do a quick brown in the oven (very hot – 450 degrees)
This makes a really interesting meat and potato meal. Add some fun mixed vegetables, and fresh fruit for dessert and you have a meal that you could practically grow yourself. A lot of people did at that time. And then, of course, they added a lovely glass of wine to make it a dinner to remember.