CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Bavarian Baked Meatloaf

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The following comfort food recipe is popular in Bavaria, where it’s known as Leberkase.

According to the book “Culinary Excursions through Germany” by Wolfgant Reichert (out of print), Bavarian butchers grind beef up to twice daily. But here, you might want to call your butcher in advance and place an order for the finely ground meats this recipe requires.

Bavarian Baked Meatloaf

1¾ pounds finely ground beef

7 ounces finely ground pork

9 ounces ground bacon

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon black pepper

1½ to 2 cups lukewarm water

Parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Knead ground beef on wooden board until smooth. Add ground pork, ground bacon and spices and mix thoroughly.

While kneading, add enough water to keep mixture smooth but not too thin. Form meatloaf into oval and place in shallow baking pan. Brush top with water. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, 1 hour. Drain off grease well or remove to a platter before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Yield: Serves 8.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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