Where the Buffalo Roam

I've never been a fan of cold weather.  Growing up, it was all I could do to wait at the top of the driveway every morning for the school bus.  Cold feet, frozen hair (I've never been very good about the blow dryer)... when it came time for college, I went south.  I've tried several times since college to live in cold climates, and survived, but I am glad to be back in the warmth of the South.  Except that it turns out that winter in the south is not really very warm.  In fact, I like winter here even less, if that's possible.  Although everyone calls Atlanta, 'Hotlanta', as a tribute to its hot, sticky summers, I'll take an Atlanta summer anytime over what passes for winter here.  It's cold, damp, and recently, won't stop raining.  

In an effort to thwart the cold, wet weather, I've been cooking.  Winter is the time for comfort food, and for someone who refuses to turn the heat much above the low 60s, using the oven is also a convenient way to heat the house a bit.  As evidenced by my last few posts, comfort food for me takes many forms, but high on the list of favorites is meatloaf.  Specifically, buffalo meatloaf.

I first made this particular meatloaf over two years ago for my sister and a friend.  Since then it has become a standby for this sort of nasty weather.  It's the perfect meal for the winter, and the recipe is designed to give you a complete meal with potatoes and spinach on the side (I didn't copy the spinach portion of the recipe below but click on the link to go to it).  Although this recipe can also be made with beef, it really is better with buffalo. Buffalo is leaner than beef and has a both meatier and sweeter taste to it that is nicely complemented by the mushrooms and onions in the loaf.  And the roasted potatoes melt in your mouth after cooking for over an hour bathing in the the meatloaf's juices.  As my official taster said, this meatloaf is 'Awesome'.

Buffalo Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes

Adapted from Epicurious/Bon Appetit

 

1 pound baby Yukon or other small potatoes

1 pound buffalo meat

1 1/2 cups crimini/baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 tsp sage (or 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped)

3/4 cup tomato sauce, divided (I use from a jar)

1 large egg

1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs

1 tsp red pepper flakes

olive oil

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes with 1-2 tsp olive oil and roast on rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove from oven (leave potatoes on baking sheet); keep oven at 375.

While potatoes are roasting, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add mushrooms and sage and cook until mushrooms have softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool.

Combine mushroom-onion mixture, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, buffalo meat, panko/breadcrumbs, egg, and salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl. Mix well. Form into a ‘meatloaf shape’ on the same baking sheet with the potatoes (you might have to move the potatoes to the side). Bake for 30 minutes. Mix remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce and red pepper flakes; brush top of meatloaf with tomato mixture. Bake for 20 more minutes. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes, then serve.