AI Chatbot Meatloaf

AI chatbot meatloaf. I got it a little lumpy but it's good.

I have very little ability in the kitchen so if I'm cooking anything more complex than fried eggs I need a recipe. Over the years I have relied mostly on the internet (as opposed to cookbooks) for recipes. Recently I started using AI chatbots. If you probe around with your questions you can get some pretty unique recipes. Unique meaning oddball.

The last time I cooked meatloaf I managed to burn it so I decided to try again recently. I got a recipe out of Grok (xAI). My prompt was a meatloaf recipe for a small pan. It called for 80/20 ground beef but I've used that before and thought it was a little greasy so I went with much leaner 94/6 that was reasonably priced.

It's a little lumpy because I again got confused about steps to combine the ingredients. I'd maybe back off the thyme and Worcestershire sauce a little. It's not Mom's meatloaf but considering it came from an AI it's actually pretty good!

Here's a simple meatloaf recipe scaled for a small loaf pan (about 8x4 inches, serving 2-3 people):

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup ketchup (for glaze, plus 2 tbsp for mixing in, optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix wet ingredients: In a small bowl, combine milk and egg. Stir in breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Combine: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, and the breadcrumb mixture. Add 2 tbsp ketchup if desired. Mix gently until just combined—don’t overwork.
4. Shape: Press mixture into the small loaf pan evenly.
5. Glaze: Spread 1/4 cup ketchup over the top.
6. Bake: Place pan on a baking sheet (to catch drips). Bake for 45-55 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
7. Rest: Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Tips:

• For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup grated carrot or bell pepper.
• Swap ketchup glaze for BBQ sauce or a mix of ketchup and brown sugar.
• Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted veggies.

Enjoy!