Like many others, my kitchen has been a lot busier during the past year, and a down-to-earth and homey meatloaf like this one has been a solid staple in the “pandemic” rotation.

Meatloaf is a great weeknight dinner all year long. Th one was from last Summer, paired with tomatoes and corn on the cob. In the colder months, I like to serve it with mashed or roasted potatoes and winter veggies like brussels sprouts, roasted car…

Meatloaf can be a great weeknight meal all year long. The one in the photo was from last summer, paired with freshly sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob. In the colder months, I like to serve it with mashed or roasted potatoes and winter veggies like brussels sprouts, roasted carrots or broccoli.

Just as meatloaf is a casual comfort food, the wine best served with it is a simple, tasty, “everyday” wine. You could go Italian and open a Barbera from Piedmont, or French with a Beaujolais, two wines that are juicy and youthful and won’t break the bank.

A Crianza red from Rioja also fits the bill—a youthful wine whose medium body and high acidity makes it an excellent pairing with the sweet and spicy notes of the meatloaf. See my Crianza recommendation following the recipe.

The Best Meatloaf

Ingredients for 2 meatloaves (serve one freeze the other). Each loaf serves 4-6 people:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium-sized onions, minced

2 sweet red peppers, chopped

1 twelve ounce package sliced mushrooms, rinsed and chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds ground beef (I use 85% lean)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons hot chili sauce

1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

10-12 slices of bacon (5 to 6 for each meatloaf)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, lower heat and add the onions, peppers and mushrooms. Sauté until soft and the onion is translucent, stirring frequently, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2) In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground beef with the vegetable mixture, eggs, chili sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper. Leave a tablespoon of the ketchup aside. The best way to combine everything is to use your freshly scrubbed-clean hands. Do not overmix or the meatloaf will end up dense and heavy.

3) Divide the meat mixture in two. Place one portion on a large, flat piece of plastic wrap. Mold into a 9-inch x 4-inch loaf (about 2 inches high) and wrap with the plastic wrap. Place in a labeled freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing and put in freezer.

4) Place the rest of the meat onto a foil-lined baking sheet and shape into the same sized loaf. Brush the top and sides with 2 tablespoons ketchup (the other two remaining tablespoons are for future use when you bake the frozen one). Carefully place 5 to 6 slices of bacon on top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly.

4) Bake in the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Slicing with a serrated bread knife gives the neatest pieces of meatloaf.

**Form half of the mixture into a loaf shape, wrap with saran wrap and place in a Ziploc freezer Bag. Freeze the meatloaf and use within 6 months.**

Pairing the Meatloaf with a fresh and juicy Tempranillo.

Rioja’s red wines are typically categorized according to how long the wine is aged, from the youngest, formerly called Joven (now simply Rioja) and aged less than a year to the oldest, Gran Reserva, a wine aged five years, two of which must be in oak barrels.

In between the two categories you will find Crianza, with two years of aging, one of which must be in oak barrels, and Reserva, aged for a minimum of three years, with one year in oak barrels. While the longer-aged Reservas and Gran Reservas have a more developed flavor profile, the Joven and Crianzas are more youthful in style, with vibrant flavors of cherry fruit, earth and spice.

One of my favorite producers, Beronia, was founded in 1973 by a group of food-loving friends from the Basque region. After years spent vacationing in Rioja and drinking copious amounts of the local wine, they decided to produce their own Rioja to enjoy with their gastronomic get-togethers. Great idea, right?

The Beronia winery is located in Rioja Alta, a subregion with some of the highest elevation vineyards in the area, where the hot growing season consists of intense daytime sunlight but chilly nights. These are ideal wine growing conditions that result in grapes (and therefore wines) with concentrated flavors and great acidity.

The winery is especially known for its Reservas and Gran Reservas, however their Crianzas are a wonderful introduction to a younger, fresher style of Rioja. The 2017 Beronia Crianza is a well-balanced combination of fruitiness and mineral salinity, wrapped up in subtle and chalky tannins.

Spanish wines typically offer great bang for the buck and this wine is no exception. Available by the bottle for around $14.99, as well as in half-bottles for $7.99, you can’t go wrong with this juicy, delicious Rioja.