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Oven-Baked Meatloaf (Leberkäse)

A classic German dish that hails from Bavaria. I recently picked up a really delicious Bavarian-style meatloaf at the store — it was sold hot. My whole family loved it so much that I wanted to try making something similar at home.

Maria

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork (shoulder)

400

Lard

150

Ice (150 g)

0.75

Beef (lean)

120

Garlic

Eggs

Salt (slightly heaping)

Baking powder

Nutmeg (ground)

0.25

Paprika (ground)

0.25

Ginger (ground)

0.25

Cardamom (ground, a pinch)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 29 % 12 g

Fats 68 % 28 g

Carbohydrates 2 % 1 g

299 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather your ingredients. For oven-baked meatloaf you'll need: ice, lard, pork, lean beef (no gristle), an egg, garlic, baking powder, nutmeg, paprika, ground ginger, and ground cardamom.
Step 2:

Grind the ice in a blender, or crush it into small bits with a mallet, then put it back in the freezer so it doesn't melt.
Step 3:

Cut the meat and lard into medium pieces. Put them in a bag and place in the freezer for 25–30 minutes.
Step 4:

Put the chilled pork, beef, and lard into a blender.
Step 5:

Blend everything until smooth. If your blender is small like mine, work in small batches — otherwise it'll overheat and shut off, and you'll be waiting a while for it to cool down.
Step 6:

Add all the seasonings, the salt, and the baking powder to the meat. Blend again.
Step 7:

Keep blending as you gradually add the crushed ice. You should end up with a smooth, glossy mixture.
Step 8:

Spread the meat mixture into a rectangular silicone loaf mold and smooth the top. Rap the mold against the counter a few times to knock out any trapped air. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 1 hour. Then let it sit in the turned-off oven for another 10 minutes.
Step 9:

You can eat the meatloaf warm with a side dish, or chill it and use it as a sandwich filling — it's delicious either way. Enjoy!

If you want the loaf to have that appealing pink color, use curing salt (sodium nitrite) in place of regular salt. Bavarian meatloaf, or Leberkäse, is a traditional dish of Germany. Its main ingredients are ground meat — usually beef — combined with bread soaked in milk or cream, and raw eggs, plus spices and often various natural add-ins, either mixed right in or layered. It's baked in the oven in rectangular molds, or shaped by hand on a baking sheet. Good meatloaf, made from quality ground meat, has a tender, springy texture with a pattern of tiny holes, a natural meaty flavor, and a rich aroma.