Turkey Apple Meatloaf with Balsamic Ketchup Glaze
Turkey Apple Meatloaf with Balsamic Ketchup Glaze is a tasty and wholesome way to shake up your meatloaf routine! Fresh apples add subtle sweetness and keep the turkey moist, while a glossy balsamic glaze delivers the perfect sweet-savory finish. Definitely not your momma’s meatloaf!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- Oil or cooking spray for baking dish
- 2 medium Fuji or Braeburn apples peeled, cored and diced
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried sage loosely packed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/3 cup milk low-fat or skim
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey all white, all dark or a combination
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- Pinch cloves
- Pinch allspice
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Meatloaf
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with oil or spray with cooking spray. Set aside until needed.
- Combine the apples with lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside until needed.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 7-8 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the apples and any accumulated juices and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Stir in the sage. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool at least 10 minutes.
- Add the parsley, oats, egg, milk, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
- Add the ground turkey and mix until everything is evenly incorporated. After mixing, let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the oats to hydrate properly. (This helps the meatloaf hold together and stay moist.)
- Place in the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top into a nice loaf shape.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
- While the meatloaf bakes, prepare the glaze. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from the heat to add the remaining ingredients to keep the garlic from scorching and the liquid ingredients from spattering.
- Add remaining ingredients, return to the heat, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes to combine flavors and heat through.
- During the last 10–15 minutes of baking, brush some of the glaze onto the meatloaf, then return it to the oven to finish baking and set.
- Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the remaining glaze.
Notes
Ketchup recipe adapted from Epicurious.com
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Can substitute ground chicken for the turkey.
- This recipe uses 1½ pounds of ground turkey. Since it’s often sold in 1-pound packages, you may have ½ pound leftover. Freeze the extra—it keeps beautifully—so next time you’ll only need to buy one pound.
- Combine all ingredients except the turkey first so they’re evenly distributed. Add the meat last and mix gently to avoid overworking it, which can make the meatloaf tough.
- Disposable gloves make mixing easy and ensure everything is evenly incorporated without overmixing.
- Briefly cooking the onions and apples removes excess moisture and eliminates raw onion flavor. Stirring in the dried sage while the onions and apples are warm helps it bloom and deepen the flavor.
- If your skillet is large enough, let the mixture cool completely (about 20 minutes total), then stir in the remaining ingredients right in the pan to save a bowl.
- If your turkey is very fresh—such as freshly ground to order—you can assemble the meatloaf up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
- Because ground meats and poultry are highly perishable, I don’t recommend preparing it any earlier than that.
- Reheat individual pieces covered in an oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees.
- You can also add a spoonful of extra glaze or a splash of broth before reheating to help retain moisture.
- Cook as directed. Cool, then wrap securely.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat by the slice in the oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 559IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg