Recipe Monday: Chipotle Sauced Meatloaf

I am an absolute fiend for Chipotle. Chipotle anything. As one of my birthday gifts, last year, MJ went online to one of our favorite exotic spice purveyors and, among other things (like Szechuan peppercorns and turmeric fingers!), got me some dried chipotle peppers and chipotle chili powder. Mmmmm!

Saturday was rainy and stormy, and when I woke up from my nap, I had a yen to create something chipotle. I love meatloaf – it’s one of the perfect comfort foods – but the real star here is the sauce. You can use your own favorite meatloaf recipe – just add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder, or you can use mine. But the sauce is what makes this, and as a bonus, it’s fat-free and vegan. So you can use it on anything you want to pep up with a little smoky chipotle zip!

Chipotle Sauced Meatloaf

For the Sauce:

1 26.5 oz. Pkg. Pomi Chopped Tomatoes or 2 cans of any chopped tomatoes
2 – 3 dried Chipotle peppers (depending on your heat preference)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tbs. dried chopped onion
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup black coffee (prepared) – because, well, I like coffee.
4 Tbs. honey

In a small dish, soak the peppers in the boiling water for about 15 minutes. Saving the water, remove the peppers and chop finely.

Put all ingredients, including the pepper soaking water, into a medium saucepan (preferably non-stick) over medium heat. Stir occasionally until it begins to boil, reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer slowly while making your meatloaf, about 1-1/2 hours.

For the Meatloaf:

2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup oatmeal
2 eggs or 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
4 Tbs. Ketchup
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 – 2 tsp. Chipotle chili powder (to taste)
2 tsp. Garlic powder
2 Tbs. dried chopped onion

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. If using a higher fat-content ground beef, place a rack on top.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (come on, use your hands!) completely. Shape into a loaf and place it on the prepared baking pan. Bake for one hour, or until it reaches 165° internal temperature. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

You can make the sauce ahead of time – just let it cool, pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate. You can reheat it on top of the stove or in the microwave, or serve it at room temperature, too.

And don’t forget to save any leftover sauce, ’cause it would also be awesome on grilled or baked chicken, grilled tofu, or even as a dipping sauce. Use your imaginations!