I’m coming to grips with the fact that I’m lazy. And I don’t think I’m that different from anyone else. Once I get ready to eat, I’m pretty much READY…and whatever I’m eating better BE ready or at least fairly quick to prepare. So, when I looked at my favorite meatball recipe and thought of the time it takes to roll those out, I wondered…Can you cook meatballs as a meatloaf to save time?
Before I ever started my Whole30 adventure, I used to make a microwave Sweet and Sour meatloaf we LOVED. I knew it was super quick. So, I looked up that recipe to check out the method and set to work.
Cuban Meatball/Meatloaf (Original recipe here)
I love the flavors in this though we prefer black olives and golden raisins, so I do make those changes. But I just didn’t feel like expending the energy to form all the meatballs and then wait for them to cook 20-25 minutes.
The cooking method from Sweet and Sour Meatloaf here
Here it is…short and sweet.
“Place in a shallow 1-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 7-8 minutes; let rest 5 minutes. Microwave 1-3 minutes longer until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°; drain.”
That’s it! I was ready to give it a go!
Success (at least in meatloaf) isn’t always pretty
The method worked great…even though this meatloaf didn’t have a sauce. I cooked it on high a total of 11 minutes covered with only wax paper (my 1-qt oval doesn’t have a cover) and then let it rest only a minute or two.
My son who was visiting took a look and said, “Well, it’s not the prettiest thing you’ve ever cooked.” I countered with “That apple cake you’re eating isn’t really ‘pretty’ either…you don’t want that?” Hmmm…no more comments from the peanut gallery as he ADORES that apple cake!
Once I sliced and plated the meatloaf, it looked much better. And it still had all the distinctive Cuban taste I was looking for with so much more ease. Even after reheating it slow and long (like 60 seconds at 40%) in the microwave the next time we ate it, it didn’t get rubbery or anything. YAY!!!
Can you do it with chicken meatballs?
Right off I can tell you it would get rubbery in the microwave. If you’ve ever tried to defrost chicken that way, you know what I’m talking about. Not gonna work. But you probably could do it in the oven. Except every recipe I saw suggested an hour to 90 minutes cook time. That’s wasn’t what I was looking for.
I tried these interesting breakfast sausage patties as one large sausage patty. I brushed my foil with olive oil and spread out the meat mixture over 8×11 inches or so to about an inch thick. I wanted it flat enough to cook quickly yet thick enough I could trust the thermometer…‘cause you know, you wanna be safe with chicken.
It only took 30 minutes at 400 degrees to be fully done (it was actually hotter than 165 degrees inside)…lots better than an hour to 90 minutes of cook time!
Other recipe adjustments?
Since the recipe calls for cooked, mashed sweet potato, I baked sweet potatoes earlier in the day so they weren’t a part of this cook time. I also ground my own chicken breasts and substituted dried herbs (1/3 as much as for fresh…not sure about this one, check out all about equivalents here) instead of the fresh ones.
Assembling the meat mixture and patting it out in the pan was really simple. Was it pretty? Maybe not; perhaps round would make a better presentation. But if you don’t wanna fry it, try the “baking on oiled foil” method.
Can you make meatballs into meatloaf?
Bottom line…ground beef in the microwave? Yes! Chicken? Not in the microwave, but a good 400-degree oven will do if you flatten your meat mixture down to an inch thick. Make sure it reaches 165 degrees internally, and you’re good to go. Try making your favorite meatloaf faster with one of these methods and share in the comments below!
