Juicy Less-Meat Meatloaf

Ingredients

For 6 servings

• •2 (15-ounce; 425 g each) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• •1 /2 cup (120 ml) store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
• •1 /4 cup (60 ml) whole buttermilk
• •1 /2 ounce unflavored gelatin (14 g; about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• •1 small onion (4 ounces; 110 g), roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• •1 small carrot (2 ounces; 56 g), peeled and roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• •2 stalks celery (50 g total), roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• •2 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• •2 c. à soupe (28 g) unsalted butter
• •1 /2 cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs, plus more as needed
• •2 c. à café (10 ml) soy sauce
• •2 c. à café (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• •1 c. à café (5 ml) fish sauce
• •1 c. à café sweet paprika
• •1 lb (450 g) ground beef, pork, veal, or any combination
• •2 large eggs
• •4 ounces (115 g) cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, and/or Muenster cheese, finely shredded (about 1 cup)
• •1 /4 cup (10 g) finely minced fresh parsley
• •2 c. à café Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• •1 c. à café freshly ground black pepper
• •3 /4 cup (180 ml) ketchup
• •1 /4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• •1 /2 cup (120 ml) cider vinegar
• •1 /2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• •1 to 2 teaspoons gochujang (optional)

Method

1. 1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, spread kidney beans in a single layer. Roast until beans split and their skins look dry and slightly crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
2. 2.Combine chicken stock and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup, then sprinkle gelatin evenly over the surface. Set aside.
3. 3.In a food processor, place onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed, 10 to 15 pulses (see notes). In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add vegetable mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and most of liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in stock mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. 4.Transfer roasted beans to now-empty food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped; the largest pieces should be about 1/3 of a whole bean. Add beans to bowl with the cooked aromatics.
5. 5.Add panko, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, paprika, ground meat, eggs, cheese, parsley, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently with clean hands until homogeneous. If the mixture feels loose, add up to 2 tablespoons of additional panko.
6. 6.Transfer mixture to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, pressing firmly to remove any air pockets. Cover tightly with greased heavy-duty aluminum foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or for up to 2 days.
7. 7.Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). When ready to bake, invert the foil-covered loaf pan onto a rimmed baking sheet. Loosen the foil and peel it back, leaving it underneath the loaf to catch juices. Bake until the loaf is beginning to set and feels firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
8. 8.Use a thin metal spatula to lift an edge of the inverted loaf pan and slide it off the meatloaf. Return uncovered loaf to oven and bake until center registers 150°F (65°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
9. 9.While the loaf rests, in a small saucepan, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, pepper, and gochujang (if using) and cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until smooth and sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
10. 10.Brush a thin layer of glaze onto the meatloaf, then bake for 3 minutes. Brush again and bake for 3 minutes longer. Brush once more and bake until the glaze is bubbling and deep brown, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let loaf rest for 15 minutes.
11. 11.Slice and serve with extra glaze.