Rockin’ Italian-Inspired Meatloaf

This was DELICIOUS!!  Evan could have eaten the whole thing himself :) Served this with green beans and mashed potatoes!!  Get in my bellly!!

Ingredients:
1 c. ketchup
1 c. barbecue sauce (I love Cattleman’s Kansas City BBQ Sauce)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Creole (or other favorite) mustard
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small minced onion
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lb. ground beef (in the 80-85% lean ballpark)
1/2 lb. ground pork (lean, if you can find it, and even lean ground pork isn’t particularly lean unless you grind a lean cut yourself)
1 c. shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Combine the ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat over low, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant. Add the tomato paste, chopped basil, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the panko and buttermilk and set aside for about 5 minutes.

Gently combine the ground beef and ground pork. Add the cooled herb/tomato paste mixture, Parmesan cheese, and panko/buttermilk mixture and gently combine with your hands.

Shape the mixture into a free-form loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Reserve 1/2 c. of the glaze and set it aside. Brush with a coating of the glaze from the pan, then place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until an internal thermometer reaches 165 degrees. While the meatloaf is cooking, generously brush it every 10 minutes with the glaze from the pan (not the reserved glaze).

When the meatloaf is done, allow it to stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the reserved sauce, a green salad, and potatoes. Leftovers are amazing, especially between slices of hearty white bread or on a hoagie roll.

Freezer instructions: Prepare meatloaf through shaping it. Place it on a lined baking sheet and freeze, then remove from oven and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze the reserved sauce separately.

When ready to bake, remove from foil and plastic wrap and place on a lined baking sheet. Thaw reserved sauce. Bake at 425 for 90 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 165. Baste with the reserved sauce every 10 minutes for the last 45 minutes of baking.