Grass Fed Beef and French Onion Meatloaf

French Onion Meatloaf

French Onion Meatloaf is not a thing of beauty. It is however, a full-on umami flavor explosion. The taste of meaty-rich, lean grass-fed ground beef, golden brown caramelized onions, and a crown of gooey Gruyere cheese make up plenty for brown, brown, and more brown.

‘l eat far more Turkey Meatloaf than beef -- and wow, I forgot just how good old-fashioned ground beef meatloaf can be until I paid a recent visit to South Georgia.

A few weeks ago, I visited White Oak Pastures, the largest organic farm in the state. Founded in 1866, the Harris family farm raises grass-fed cattle and pastured poultry. White Oak Pastures is recognized worldwide for its progressive, no-waste approach to humane agriculture, including regenerative grazing.

I first met the owner, Will Harris, nearly 20 years ago, and I have tremendous respect for him and the work he and his family do.

2017 photo shoot for Secrets of the Southern Table - photo credit Angie Mosier.

The photo above was taken in 2017 for a photo shoot for my cookbook, Secrets of the Southern Table where I featured Will and White Oak Pastures. This was before I lost 65 pounds -- and I can’t help but be thankful when I see the old “fat” photos of me. While they make me cringe, I am immensely grateful that I have changed my life for the better.

I didn’t just lose weight, I gained health.

Welcome to the Good and Good for You™ newsletter, a quick 5-minute read with ideas and info on ways to help improve your life – including a tasty and healthful recipe.

This issue shares:

• Best Life Living Tip: Know Where Your Food Comes From 📍

• Self-Care Strategy: Grass fed Beef health benefits 🍽️

• Ideas and Inspiration: Will Harris Gives a Damn 🌎

• Good and Good for You™ Recipe: French Onion Meatloaf 🐄

Thanks for reading! It’s awesome to see that this Good and Good for You™ newsletter is making life better in some small way for so many folks. My philosophy is not about perfection. Remember, if you choose what’s Good and Good for You™ most of the time, you’re headed in the right direction.

Read on for more — including this great recipe for French Onion Meatloaf that comes in at under 500 calories a serving.

Worried about the caramelized onions taking too long? I got you. This French Onion Meatloaf includes a helpful science-driven cooking hack that cuts the cook time in half! Read on for the secret....

photo credit Angie Mosier

Let’s face it, grass-fed organic beef and pastured poultry can be pricey. Everyone can’t afford it. But, you don’t have to overhaul your entire diet to eat more intentionally.

Start by becoming curious about the food you already buy.

• Know its origin. Is that garlic from China? Are those peaches from Peru? Shopping locally and regionally helps keeps money at home.

• Choose quality over quantity. A smaller portion of thoughtfully produced meat alongside plenty of vegetables can be a satisfying, balanced meal.

• Make the connection. Farmers markets, local producers, and trusted ranches can reconnect you with the people behind your food.

• Cook it simply. When you start with a good ingredient, you don’t need to do much to make it delicious like with this French Onion Meatloaf.

• Think beyond your plate. Consider not only how food nourishes you, but how it was produced and its impact on farmers, animals, and the land.

The Good and Good for You philosophy: You don’t have to be perfect. Just be a little more intentional, a little more often.

photo credit Angie Mosier

Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and spa time. Nourishing your body with good food is self-care, too.

• Grass-fed beef is a nutrient-dense source of high-quality protein, providing all nine essential amino acids.

• It’s also rich in vitamin B12, zinc, selenium and iron, nutrients important for energy metabolism, immune function, and overall health.

• Grass-fed beef can also provide more omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised beef.

Health experts, including the American Institute for Cancer Research, recommend limiting cooked red meat to 12 to 18 ounces per week, or roughly 1 to 3 small servings. Keeping portions to about 3 to 4 ounces allows you to enjoy the protein and iron red meat provides while supporting a balanced, health-conscious approach to eating.

I prefer lean grass-fed beef for recipes like this French Onion Meatloaf. The beef flavor is more robust and rich -- think quality over quantity. And, with commodity beef so expensive, ground grass fed beef can be an affordable, healthful, and smart choice.

That’s self-care you can put on a plate.

My friend Will Harris III, is a cowboy straight out of central casting. He’s rugged with a rich, deep voice and a legendary drawl. He is a Deep South cattleman from the top of his Stetson hat to the tip of his well-worn leather boots. His family has lived on the outskirts of Bluffton for six generations.

An untrained eye might take a look at Will sitting in his truck with the gun rack in the back window and simply see a South Georgia farmer. They might hear his thick accent and assume his thoughts and concerns about the earth were about as deep as the red Georgia clay caked on his leather boots. They might make all the social and educational assumptions that one might make about a South Georgia farmer. They would be wrong.

Will has long said, “When food is cheap, it is paid for elsewhere.”

Large corporate monopolies narrow product variety, drive up consumer costs, and create severe vulnerabilities in the global food chain. Low prices often mean low pay and poor safety for farm workers. Mass produced food comes from large farms that value profit over the environment. Low-cost meat often means animals live in crowded and cruel conditions.

A Bold Return to Giving a Damn tells the Harris family story of shifting away from industrial, chemical-heavy agriculture toward a holistic, regenerative farming model.

And, the next generation gives a damn, too. Daughters Jenni and Jodi are now an integral part of the operations. It’s incredible to see the growth of the farm over the years and their beautiful families, too. Good people, good family, good work, and good food -- proud to call them my friends.

• Give them a follow on Instagram at @whiteoakpastures

• Visit their website whiteoakpastures.com and sign up for their newsletter

• Check out their shopping app

• Make sure to check out their cabins, classes, and activities.

And, if you are in Atlanta, make sure to pay a visit to their new store at Upper West Market on Collier Road.

Seeing the next Harris generation thrive makes me want to shout, “Yay You!”

Maybe you want to congratulate someone on a job well done? How about sending a “yay you” candle to a friend or loved one who’s making a difference in their life - or someone who needs a pick me up. Maybe it’s a “just because.”

Check out the Yay You! Candle on GoodandGoodforYouLiving.com

We’ve sourced candles that are:

• Natural and sustainable ingredients only

• Vegan, cruelty-free, phthalate-free, and petroleum-free

• Hand Poured in the USA

I love, love, love to light candles in the evening. The soothing aroma and gentle flicker help me create a sense of calm.

Check out the entire line at GoodandGoodforYouLiving.com and make sure to check out the White Oak Pastures Tallow candles, too!

Know the story. Choose quality. Practice moderation.

Good and Good for You™ Takeaway. Eat well. Know your food. Support the people who produce it. And remember: doing what’s Good and Good for You more often than not with these endeavors puts you on the right track. Yay you!

What’s the secret to quick-cooking onions? Traditional caramelized onions can take a long time, but this method speeds things up. First, the onions are cooked in water to help draw out and evaporate their moisture. Then, a tiny pinch of baking soda is added. Because baking soda raises the pH, it breaks down the onions’ cell walls more quickly and accelerates the Maillard reaction, helping them turn soft, sweet, and deeply golden brown in a fraction of the usual time.

Hope you enjoy this White Oak Pastures French Onion Meatloaf. It’s a ground beef recipe that I feel good about mind, body, and spirit!

Thank you for reading. For more tips, inspiration, and healthy recipes, follow @virginiawillis on Instagram.

• 2 pounds lean grassfed ground beef (90/10)

• 3 onions, chopped

• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon water

• 1/8th teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic very finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese grated

• 4 large red potatoes, thinly sliced

1. Place the beef in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Caramelize the onions: Place the onions and water in a large skillet. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until tender. Uncover, reduce heat, and cook until the onions are well browned and slightly sticky, another 10 minutes. Combine the baking soda and the remaining 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Add the baking soda solution into the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until the solution has evaporated, about 1 minute.

3. Add oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat to let cool slightly. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, reserved onion mixture, and thyme. Using a rubber spatula, stir to combine.

4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or loaf pan. Surround with sliced potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Adjust the temperature to broil. Top with cheese then return to the oven and cook until bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to cool slightly. Slice and serve.

   Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 616mg | Potassium: 1264mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 5mg