Can you eat meatloaf without cooking?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat meatloaf without cooking?” We will also take you through a step-by-step guide on how to cook ready meatloaf. We will discuss the nutritional value of meatloaf and explain some potential risks of consuming undercooked meatloaf.
Can you eat meatloaf without cooking?
Yes, you can consume meatloaf without cooking it as long as it is canned. However it is not recommended because if the meatloaf was not properly cooked it can result in food poisoning so it is always advised to cook your meatloaf.
Meatloaf is a savory dish that is prepared from ground meat such as pork, beef, turkey and binders and fillers such as eggs, bread crumbs, oatmeal and some other types of grains.
How do you make a ready meatloaf?
To make meatloaf you will first need to gather up the ingredients, these are:
- About 5 pounds lean ground beef
- A cup milk
- A tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
- A tablespoon of chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves)
- A tablespoon of salt
- 5 tablespoon of mustard which is ground mustard
- 5 tablespoons of pepper.
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 egg
- 5 cups of bread crumbs
- 1 small diced onion
Let’s now take a look at the cooking instructions.
Step 1
First preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line using a baking sheet with aluminum foil, you can as well use a parchment paper.
Step 2
Proceed to combine all the ingredients.
Step 3
Shape the mixture into a large loaf which should be about 9 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.
Step 4
Bake uncovered at 350º for about an hour or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F, this should take about 45 to 55 minutes. Let your meatloaf cool to room temperature and then you can proceed to slice and serve.
What is the nutritional value of meatloaf?
1 slice of meatloaf which is about 183g can typically contain nutrition as below:
| Nutrients | Amount | % Daily value |
| Calories | 331 | – |
| Total fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated fat | 6.4g | 32% |
| Trans fat | 0.7g | – |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1g | – |
| Monounsaturated fat | 8.3g | – |
| Cholesterol | 123cmg | 41% |
| Sodium | 844 mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 538 mg | 15% |
| Total carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Dietary fiber | 1.2g | 5% |
| Sugar | 6.1g | – |
| Protein | 27g | – |
| Vitamin A | – | 3.6% |
| Vitamin C | – | 8.7% |
| Calcium | – | 4.9% |
| Iron | – | 19% |
What are the potential risks of consuming undercooked meatloaf?
Meatloaf’s key ingredient is grounded meat. Ground meat if undercooked can result in food poisoning because of a wide range of bacteria that can be present on its surface. Some of these bacteria are:
Salmonella
Salmonella is a group range of bacteria that usually cause a food borne illness known as salmonellosis. These groups of bacteria usually reside in the intestinal tract of bacteria and are therefore a result of cross contamination with feces. Symptoms of infection usually appear 6 hours to 6 days after infection and include: fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens are anaerobic gram positive bacteria that usually form spores. They usually result in acute gastroenteritis infection which can be diarrhea. It also lives in the human tract and can as well be found in soil or animal feces. Symptoms of its infection are: Watery diarrheas that can result in dehydration and abdominal cramps.
These symptoms usually appear 6 to 24 hours after eating contaminated food and the disease can last 24 hrs to 48 hrs.
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacteria that is very common in the human skin and nasal passages. Actually about 30% of people usually carry it through their noses and can be easily transmitted to food causing food poisoning. Symptoms of infection are: abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
E.coli
Escheria coli (E.coli) are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of healthy people and also animals. Most of the strains of E.coli are generally harmless or can cause some mild diarrhea. However there are strains which produce toxins that can result in food poisoning.
One strain known as E. coli O157:H7 can result in food infections with symptoms that start 3 to 4 days after exposure. Some of the symptoms of its infection are; stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea which might range from mild to being severe and bloody.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat meatloaf without cooking?” We have as well taken you through a step wise guide on how to cook ready meatloaf. We have discussed the nutritional value of meatloaf and explained some potential risks of consuming undercooked meatloaf.
