Recipe Background
Fireside Meatloaf brings camping charm with grillable foil packets.
Years ago, I spent a transformative autumn attending a rustic camping retreat for creatives, tucked away in the colorful embrace of the Berkshire Mountains. We gathered at nights around the fire, each contributing a dish that represented a slice of our experience. I remember clutching my trusty cooler that always had room for some fresh corn kernels and a bottle of my favorite barbecue sauce. The idea for what I affectionately call 'Fireside Meatloaf' struck me after a lively discussion around utilizing simple but versatile picnic staples.
During a particularly balmy evening, I found myself layering together the thawed edamame and diced bell peppers onto foil sheets beside the grill. The night air was filled with laughter and the scent of fresh ground turkey wafting through the pines. I learned a sly trick from another camper: blending quick-cooking oatmeal into the meat mixture for a lighter texture. Don't forget to let the meatloaf rest off the heat before popping into those foil pockets—gives it that perfect soak of flavor.
The next evening, the meatloaf packets were lifted from the grill, each bursting with vibrant, smoky aromas. We unraveled the foil like a gift. The simple act of brushing extra barbecue sauce over the golden loaves made them gleam under the moonlight. It wasn't just meatloaf—it was my Berkshire gift to the group. Whenever I recreate it, I feel a bit of mountain magic, reminding me of fireside conversations and shared meals under starlit skies.
Ingredients
For the vegetables:
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed
- 1 large shallot diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh black pepper to taste
For the turkey meatloaf:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/3 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
- 6 tablespoons barbecue sauce divided, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 1/4 cup onions minced
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Directions
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- On a flat surface, lay out four (10x18-inch) pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a medium bowl, add the corn kernels, the red bell peppers, the edamame, the shallots, the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and the black pepper and stir well to combine.
- Evenly divide the vegetable mixture between the four prepared pieces of foil, placing each portion of the vegetable mixture in the center of each piece of foil.
- In a medium bowl, add the ground turkey, the oatmeal, 3 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce, the onions, the egg, the remaining salt, and the marjoram and mix well to combine.
- Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a 4x2 1/2-inch loaf.
- Place 1 of the meatloaves on top of each of the vegetable mixtures on the foil.
- Brush 3 tablespoons of the remaining barbecue sauce evenly over the meatloaves.
- Bring the long sides of the foil up so the ends meet over the loaves.
- Double-fold the ends while allowing room for heat to circulate inside the foil.
- Double-fold the two short ends to seal the foil packet tight so no steam escapes.
- Place the foil packets over direct heat on the grill and let them cook for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the foil packets to indirect heat and cook until the meatloaves reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer the foil packets from the grill and carefully open them.
- Serve with the extra barbecue sauce.
×