Austrian stylie meatloaf with mash and cabbage

Now we love a meatloaf here at FW.  

We have tried a variety of different recipes but our favourite is one by the Hairy Bikers.

Beautifully moist and flavourful, sure to become a family favourite

Here is our version of the Hairy Biker's recipe from their (much treasured) book, 'The Big Book of Baking'.  This is so wonderful and is great reheated the next day or used as a sandwich filling left cold.  This is a frugal meal which is very versatile according to budget and accompaniments.    If you haven't tried caraway seed or marjoram do have a go, the taste is unlike any other spice or herb.

How I make this dish:

• 1 tsp onion powder plus 1 tsp onion chopped to invisibility (or 1 onion if you have it, Himself doesn't like it so I cheat here) £0.05p
• 1 clove of garlic crushed £0.09p *see my top tip if you don't have a garlic press below
• 1 large handful of breadcrumbs (from the frozen bread ends in my freezer blitzed in the food processor) £0.00p
• 1 level tsp caraway seeds (I crush mine first in the pestle and mortar) £0.02
• 500g frozen pork and beef mince (Sainsbury's basics range, I chuck roughly half a pack in) £1.57
• 1 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves chopped (from the garden) £0.00
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (from the garden) £0.00
• S&P to taste £0.02
• 2 beaten eggs £0.30
• 300ml beef stock or made up thinnish gravy £0.10p We used a Knorr YS beef stock pot that was knocking around in the store cupboard
• Optional:  1 small pot of soured cream £0.55p

Cost analysis based on 4 large servings: 

Total cost including soured cream £2.70 or £0.67p per portion: or *£0.45 based on 6 portions

Total cost excluding soured cream £2.15 or £0.53 per portion: or   *£0.35 based on 6 portions

Marjoram & thyme from our kitchen patio garden

The mix will be sloppy, thats ok

Heat the oven to 200C.  Mix your mince (I defrosted mine first), herbs, caraway seeds, S&P, onion powder, onions, garlic and two thirds of the breadcrumbs together with the eggs until well combined.  You can use a fork or your hands.  Form a ball and place on a baking tray with sides as you're going to add some liquid.  Shape into a fat sausage shape, flatten and sprinkle more breadcrumbs over the top if you fancy, I like the crispy topping but don't cover in stock.


Click on 'read more' below to see the rest of the method and photos.

Ready for the stock then the oven

Bake with the stock poured around it for around half an hour, check after 20 minutes.  Rest the meatloaf in tin foil when cooked and place the tray over a medium heat to reduce the stock to a fairly thick medium if using soured cream or, if not just slice and serve with the pan juices.  You can always make a fresh batch of gravy if you want a lot.

Serve cut into thick slices with the sauce or gravy poured over.  We enjoy this with mashed potatoes and cabbage (or sweetcorn for Himself, I put a tin of basics sweetcorn into the oven with the top ajar for the last 15 minutes cooking time).

Fresh from the oven

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  * If you, like we, don't have a garlic press ka-jigga, no panic.  We use the salt from the recipe to pulp the garlic into a paste in the pestle and mortar.  
  
  No pestle and mortar, no panic, use a large bladed knife and chopping board to press the clove into the salt.  It's all a means to an end and easier to wash up than a garlic press.