Chorizo Meatloaf

Planning for Meals Ahead of Time

Due to working a full-time job during the day, planning meals ahead of time is extremely important.  Soon I’ll be posting about my menu planning/meal prep schedule, but for now, here is a quick schedule of prep for any particular meat.  Two nights prior to eating a certain meal, I pull out any meat that needs to be thawed.  I give it 24 hours to thaw in the fridge. One night prior to eating it, I do any prep work I can do ahead, such as dry rub on pork chops, chop veggies for a roast, or in this particular case, mix the ingredients for meatloaf and shape it.

As I plan things ahead, I really don’t have time for making mistakes that aren’t caught right away.  If I catch it ASAP, then no big deal.  But when I thaw the wrong type of meat and don’t catch it until the next night when it’s already thawed and I need to start prepping the food?!  That’s why I have learned to make adjustments, and sometimes adjustments I’m not used to.

Accidental Formulation of Chirozo Meatloaf Recipe

The other night, I pulled out two packages of meat, per the usual, for making meatloaf.  Ground beef and breakfast sausage.  “Oh crap!” is what the guys heard from the kitchen the next night when the meat was thawed out and it was time to mix the meat, add the seasonings, and shape the meatloaf.  “What did you do this time?” came Will’s response from the living room.  “Nothing….everything is fine in here!”  And then I quickly figured out some tweaking to my normal meatloaf recipe.  I decided I would use my “accident” by trying something new.  Chorizo meatloaf!  I also decided NOT to tell the guys until we sat down for dinner the next night.

I was slightly nervous all the next day because I had never heard of anyone using chorizo in a meatloaf.  Nor did I know how I should season it, so I just made it up.  Normally, I prefer to use breakfast sausage, either store-bought or homemade.  I guess it was time I experimented with something fun and different!

Thankfully, the guys liked it!  And I’m glad I kept track of everything I put in it so I can make it again!

Selection of Chorizo for the Meatloaf

As a side note, the chorizo I used came from a local butcher.  It has amazing flavor but is not spicy like the ones you’ll find at a grocery store.  It also has far less fat.  If you use a store bought one, your meatloaf will likely shrink a bit more and have more of a kick.  A good option might be to adjust the ratio.  Instead of a 1:1 ratio, maybe make it a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio of chorizo to ground meat.

Print Recipe

Chorizo Meatloaf

Meatloaf with a Mexican twist.

Course

Main Dish

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb Chorizo
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs Oats could be substituted for gluten-free option
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs dried minced onions
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1.5 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Course Main Dish Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 1 hr Servings people Ingredients 1 lb ground beef 1 lb Chorizo 1/2 c breadcrumbs Oats could be substituted for gluten-free option 2 eggs 1 Tbs dried minced onions 1 tsp granulated garlic 1.5 tsp dried parsley 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Shape into a loaf and set in a baking pan.
3. Optional: Drizzle ketchup on the top prior to baking.
4. Bake at 425°F for 1 hour.