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Grilled Mesquite Meatloaf

A grilled loaf of ground chuck seasoned with onion, garlic, celery, lemon, spices, Worcestershire sauce, panko, and mesquite chips.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 14 ingredients
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Why it works: Sauce and ketchup match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,099 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓

Grilled Mesquite Meatloaf

Time10 minutes rest

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the base

  1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium‑high heat.

  2. Add onion and a pinch of kosher salt, and cook until translucent.

  3. Add garlic and cook until garlic reaches a golden color.

  4. Add celery and cook until lightly browned around edges.

  5. Set aside until cool.

Shape the loaf

  1. Mix together ground chuck, onion mixture, lemon juice, pepper, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and breadcrumbs.

  2. Shape into a 3½ x 7½‑inch loaf about 2 inches thick.

  3. Brush with ketchup and set aside.

Grill and serve

  1. Heat charcoal in a large chimney starter.

  2. Once hot, evenly distribute around the bottom of the grill and mix with mesquite.

  3. Reapply the grate and place the loaf on top.

  4. Grill, covered, turning often, until internal temperature reaches 160°F (72°C).

  5. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.

  6. Serve thick slices with mashed potatoes, roast vegetables, and gravy.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

685Calories
18 gProtein
16 gFat
120 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 11 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Lemonjuice of 1 lemon (48ml)12
Soy Sauce1 tbsp (15ml)9
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Celery1 stalk (40g)6
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Salt1 tsp (6g)0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Sauce + ketchuptop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,099 recipes

    Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

  2. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together29,058 recipes

    Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

  3. Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together25,665 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  4. Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together27,047 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).

  5. Celery + lemontop 3% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,467 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Ground chuck
Provides the meat structure and juiciness that hold the loaf together.
Panko breadcrumbs
Absorb juices and add moisture, keeping the loaf tender rather than dense.
Onion
Adds sweetness and moisture as it softens during cooking.
Garlic
Adds aroma and savory depth when browned gently.
Worcestershire sauce
Adds savory, tangy depth that enriches the meat flavor.
Lemons
Add acidity that brightens the rich meat flavor.

The step that matters

Grill, covered, until 160°F (72°C) internal temperature. Ground meat must reach a safe internal temperature, and the loaf can dry out if overcooked. Checking with a thermometer rather than judging by color ensures doneness without drying the meat.

Swap the lemon

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, onion, garlic, celery, pepper, sauce, ketchup):

  1. Limefits about as well
  2. Avocadofits about as well
  3. Lemonthe original
  4. Mangofits less well

Fit is the average pairing score against olive, onion, garlic, celery, pepper, sauce, ketchup. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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