Family Favorite Pork Apple Meatloaf is a naturally gluten free and extremely moist meatloaf recipe that combines ground pork, oats, and shredded apples.
Family Favorite Pork Apple Meatloaf is a weeknight staple in our house. As much as I love to cook, I never look forward to making dinner Monday-Thursday when time is in short supply. If you need a simple, easy, and delicious dinner idea, this recipe is for you!
Mothers complaining about their busy lives is second nature. Within minutes of meeting we can rattle off all our kids’ activities, sports, and extracurriculars without skipping a beat. It’s our version of Mom Street Cred.
I get it. Your life is busy and it’s cathartic to vent. It feels good to know you aren’t the only one who feels like they are drowning out there. But, truth be told, hearing this stuff stresses me out. Not because I commiserate, though. Because I can’t.
I listen to how hectic my peer’s lives are, how much time, energy, and money they sacrifice, and wonder if I’m massively shortchanging my own family. My kids don’t participate consistently in sports, our weekdays general aren’t spent shuttling to practice / lessons, and our weekends aren’t spent on field sidelines.
My kids don’t hound me to be involved more, and I full admit, I don’t mind the savings on my own sanity. They don’t ask, therefore I don’t either. But I do wonder why they don’t desire to be part of their friends’ activities. Do they truly lack an interest, or have I completely avoided fostering those opportunities?
To give myself some credit, my kids aren’t checked out hoodlums, but no one has latched onto “their thing.” They intermittently join academic bowl teams, sports teams, and clubs. When these endeavors run their course, though, I am the first to breathe a sigh of relief. I’m in awe of the parent’s stamina who do it for years on end.
So what do you think? Are the lack of structured activities going to haunt my kids later, or am I (hopefully) on to something here? I’d love to hear from parents on both sides and be enlightened how it’s played out in your own families.
HOW TO MAKE FAMILY FAVORITE PORK APPLE MEATLOAF
Regardless if I’m a slouch of a parent or not, dinnertime is still a chaotic chore. Dinner is prepared as the kids work on homework, fight for my attention after a long day of school, and late afternoon grouchiness settles in (I’m looking at you, Elliot). This recipe for Family Favorite Pork Apple Meatloaf is something you can feasibly pull off during your own pandemonium.
Here are some EASY SIDE DISH ideas to serve with Family Favorite Pork Apple Meatloaf:
- mashed potatoes
- steamed corn
- applesauce
- roasted broccoli
- sweet potato fries
- roasted pumpkin spice butternut squash
SAVE THIS FAMILY FAVORITE PORK APPLE MEATLOAF TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!
And let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always pinning great recipes!
This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you – which helps justify to my family all the time I spend on the computer.
Family Favorite Pork Apple Meatloaf is a naturally gluten free and extremely moist meatloaf recipe that combines ground pork, oats, and shredded apples.
- 1/2 cup bottled chili sauce
- 2 tbsp apple juice
- 2 tbsp apple butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup shredded (sweet) apple, about 1 medium, peeled
- 2 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
- 2 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 pound ground pork
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Preheat oven to 350ºF. Ideally I like to use a small broiler pan so the grease drains away. If you don't have one, you can also use a loaf pan. Spray pan with cooking spray and set aside.
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For the glaze whisk together chili sauce, apple juice, 2 tbsp. apple butter, vinegar, and dry mustard. Take out 1/3 cup and set both bowls of glazes aside.
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In a large bowl lightly whisk egg and then add 1/4 cup apple butter, shredded apple, beef bouillon, minced onion, garlic, pepper, and oats. Mix well. Add ground pork and mix with wooden spoon or hands until well incorporated. Shape into loaf and place on broiler pan, or in loaf pan. Pour the larger amount of glaze over the loaf (keeping the 1/3 cup still set aside).
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Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, brush over remaining 1/3 cup of glaze. Return to oven and increase temperature to 400ºF. Bake for 15-20 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, and then slice for serving.
Recipe adapted from Midwest Living
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MORE RELATED RECIPES:
Thai Style Pork Meatballs from LeelaLicious
Maple Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops from The Chunky Chef
Mini Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaves from Iowa Girl Eats
This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you – which helps justify to my family all the time I spend on the computer.
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