Mmmeatloaf

Mixed up Meatloaf!

The weather has taken the messy, mixed up turn for the worst...the snow has arrived! This recipe is mixed up on it's own with different ingredients used in this moist meatloaf that makes it so good to eat during these cold days of winter. 

Ingredients:

1lb Antibiotic-free Ground Pork
1lb Grass-fed (if available) Ground Lean Beef
2 Carrots, shredded
1 Small Shallot, minced
1 Cup of Mushrooms, diced small (choose your favourite kind)
1/2 lb Bacon, cut into small pieces
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper

1. Set your oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan (or whatever pan you are going to make your meatloaf in), using coconut oil, or some sort of fat (like bacon grease or butter).
2. Combine all the ingredients together until they are completely incorporated. Don't squish the meat to mix it, fold it, so it won't end up being tough when cooked.
3. Place the mixture in the pan and then set in oven to bake for about 45-50 minutes. If you want to have a crispy top, for the last 5 minutes put the broiler on and it will crisp it right up, but be careful not to burn it.
4. Remove from oven when done and allow to cool before cutting into slices. Serve with a grainy mustard to dip it in, along with some sweet potatoes and some sautéed collard greens to make the meal complete!

Jerky!

It's clean, grass-fed Jerky!

Everyone loves jerky, you know it! The only thing, it does take a long time to complete, but so worth it. I would suggest doing the marinating the first night before you have a couple days off work - you need 24 hours to get it set for drying; then it's 4 hours in the dehydrator and you are good to enjoy. If you don't have a dehydrator, look at the notes below for how to do this in your oven.

Ingredients:

1 lbs Grass-fed Lean cut of Beef, Flank works best
1/4 Cup Tamari (or if you have it Coconut Aminos)
3/4 Tsp Natural Liquid Smoke (one with 2 ingredients-hickory smoke and water)
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 Tsp Garlic Salt
1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional if you don't want it with any kick)
1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

1. Slice up your beef into thin 1/8" pieces, cutting across the grain. To make cutting evenly easier, put the meat in the freezer for about 45 mins-1 hour; it will freeze slightly to help make the cutting easy. Ensure that the fat is all trimmed off. If you leave fat on, it runs the risk of the jerky spoiling much sooner than you want.
2. In a ziploc bag (this makes clean up easy), mix all your ingredients together ensuring that all the beef is coated. seal it and marinate it in the refrigerator for 24 hours for the best flavour. Every so often, flip the bag so the meat marinates evenly.
3. After marinating, remove the beef and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Place the strips of beef on the dehydrator tray, avoiding overlapping any pieces. If you want an easy clean up, you can line the dehydrator with parchment paper.
5. Turn the dehydrator to about 140-145 degrees and allow to dry for about 3-4 hours. Half-way, make sure you flip the beef. Smaller pieces may be done, so remove them if they are to avoid overdrying.
6. Beef is done when it is dry to the touch, still flexible without snapping apart. Remove the beef and allow to cool for about an hour before placing in an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator.

NOTE - OVEN DEHYDRATING:

Heat oven to 150-170 degrees, the lowest setting as possible. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and top with a wire rack. Line the beef slices without overlapping - you may need two trays. Prop the door open with a wooden spoon if you can safely and dry out for about 8 hours.