When I was little, I dreaded meatloaf night. I probably would have liked it if I had given it a chance, but seriously, I think the name turned me off. I love meatloaf now. It’s like a gigantic hamburger. Who wouldn’t want that? I am officially renaming meatloaf “Gigantic Hamburger Loaf”!
Instead of using breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs, I use an egg for the binder, along with finely chopped mushrooms (you won’t taste them, but mushrooms make the meatloaf very moist!) and grated Parmesan cheese. Mushrooms and aged cheeses have something called “umami,” a pleasant savory taste produced by glutamate and ribonucleotides, which are chemicals that occur naturally in many foods. Umami is subtle, but it blends well with other tastes to intensify and enhance flavors, and it plays an important role in making food taste delicious.