Try A Cranberry Glaze For Your Meatloaf And Thank Us Later
When it comes to the holidays and other special occasions, one flavor that's sure to find its way to your dinner table is cranberry. The zingy fruit is popularly used for cranberry sauce, baked into tasty pies, and infused into beverages for you to sip on. If you're looking for something a little different, one particularly creative way to use cranberries is to turn them into a glaze for your meatloaf.
The glaze is slightly tangy, perfectly complementing the hearty saltiness of a meatloaf. Plus, it adds a festive touch that can transform this meal from an everyday comfort food into a holiday-ready dish if need be. You'll also taste a pronounced sweetness in the sauce, which, unlike a plain ketchup glaze, can add a new dimension to your meatloaf.
If you want to make meatloaf with a cranberry glaze, you'll need to know what goes into the glaze to get you the best sweetly tart flavor. Additionally, there are some considerations for the meatloaf itself in order to really up the ante -- including what to pair it with for the perfect lunch or dinner.
Read more: 15 Tips For Making The Best Meatloaf
Putting Together Your Meatloaf And Glaze
The first thing to think about when making glazed meatloaf is how to make the sauce. You can pull together a glaze using fresh or frozen cranberries, or you can save yourself a bit of time and go with a premade cranberry sauce for your glaze's base. For the latter route, both whole berry and jellied varieties will work. For the former, you can quickly whip up an easy cranberry sauce with nothing more than cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. You can also make a glaze using dried cranberries.
Now, besides the cranberries, there are a couple of other ingredients you might want to consider putting in your glaze. You can mix in some sriracha or sweet chili sauce for a bit of spice. Another option is to add ketchup, Worcestershire, or barbecue sauce to introduce some more savory flavors. Brown sugar is another addition that can help balance out the tartness of the cranberries and enhance the flavor of your meal. Or, go the opposite route and play up the sour taste of the cranberries by adding in some balsamic vinegar.
Ways To Enjoy Cranberry-Glazed Meatloaf
When using a cranberry glaze on meatloaf, it pays to think about complementary flavors in the actual loaf itself. For instance, rather than going with a classic ground beef meatloaf, you could try a turkey version. The lighter flavors of the poultry will help make the cranberry sauce stand out. Alternatively, you could play around with mixtures, such as half turkey and half pork.
Besides the meat, you'll also want to think about the seasoning and spices in your mixture. Think about different complementary herbs that will work well with cranberries and add depth to your meal, like rosemary or sage. You can also level up your meatloaf by making your mixture with stuffing as opposed to breadcrumbs.
Lastly, once you've baked your cranberry-glazed meatloaf, consider what sides to pair it with. Mashed potatoes and gravy is a classic, but you could also opt for sweet potato casserole, which would work especially well if you sweetened your sauce with brown sugar. With a cranberry glaze at the ready, there are countless ways to enjoy this unique twist on a classic comfort dish.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.
