Very Good Meat Loaf

INGREDIENTS

• For the Glaze:
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 
  
• For the Meatloaf:
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup whole-fat buttermilk
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup small-diced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean-15% fat)
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low heat.
• 2
  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (try not to brown). Add parsley, basil, and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Set aside to cool.
• 3
  In a small bowl, combine Panko and buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes. Then in a large bowl, place beef, pork, cheese, salt and pepper, the onion mixture, and the panko mixture. Mix with your hands until just combined.
• 4
  On a rimmed baking pan (I use 13x9x2), form the mixture into a loaf shape sitting in the center of the pan, with all four sides exposed.* Brush sides and top with some glaze, then bake for about 50 minutes, removing the pan every 10 minutes or so to brush on more glaze. (At the end of baking, you will not have used all of the glaze mixture – just keep it in the saucepan on low and stir it every few minutes.)
• 5
  Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve hot with leftover glaze as sauce.