MEATLOAF WITH MAPLE BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven 425 degrees F.
• Line a baking pan with tinfoil (to ease clean up). A loaf pan or a roasting pan all work well.
• Place meats in a large bowl.
• grate or food process carrot and add it to the bowl with the meat.
• Finely chop or food process the onion and add it to the bowl with the meat.
• Add almond meal (finely ground almond flour) to the meat mixture. If this ingredient is not available a finely chopped slice of bread can also suffice. However, the recipe will no longer be gluten free.
• Add curry powder, chili powder, italian seasoning, garlic powder and hot sauce to the meat mixture.
• Put a dollop of maple syrup and a dollop of ketchup in the meat mixture (optional).
• Using your hands, mix the meat mixture together with the spices and vegetables, working it till all the ingredients in the bowl are mixed together. The mixture should be fluffy and wet, but not runny. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more almond meal, but careful not to add too much as it should be moist!
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape in the pan you are using. The loaf should be about a pinky's width away from the sides of the pan, mounded up. If there isn't enough room, use a slightly larger pan. If you fill the pan right up grease will not be able to escape the sides and will overflow from the loaf! It is better to use a too large pan than a too small pan.
• Put the bowl you mixed the meat in to the side. You can use this later to drain extra grease into.
• Place loaf into the preheated oven. Set a timer for 40 minutes. Bake uncovered.
• While the loaf is cooking, whisk together the ketchup, maple syrup, mustard and bourbon to make your BBQ sauce. If you like spicy foods feel free to add some chili flakes or some of your favourite hot sauce.
• After the meatloaf has baked for 40 minutes, remove it from the oven and carefully drain the liquid from the pan. For ease of not making extra dishes, I suggest using the bowl you mixed the meat into. This liquid will be discarded! Only drain as much as you can safely. Use heat-safe oven mitts while doing this!
• Pour the BBQ sauce mixture over top of the meatloaf and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the thickest part of the loaf. It should read at least 160 degrees F. If it does not, cook it for another 15 minutes and check again.