Red Pepper Meat Loaf

Four years since Derek would have turned forty. I don't mark his birthday the way I mark the day he died, but I know it and I note it each August and think about who he might have been at forty. We were both twenty-one when he died. I've had fourteen more years than he did and the distance between the person I was then and the person I am now is significant, which makes me sad and grateful in a ratio that I can't calculate cleanly.

Wrote to Linda on Sunday. A longer letter than usual — mentioned the anniversary, mentioned thinking about who Derek would have been. She wrote back Wednesday, which is faster than her usual pace, which tells me she thinks about the same things. She said she believed Derek would have become someone good. She said: He was trying to be, even at the end. I believe that. It doesn't absolve me of the parts I carry, but it sits alongside them without canceling either thing out.

The farrier accounts are running smoothly. The therapeutic cases — I have four of them now, a combination of Valley Equine referrals and word of mouth — are the most interesting part of any week. One of them, a horse named Anchor in Livingston, came to me from a vet in Billings with severe white line disease in two hooves, a fungal condition that weakens the hoof wall. The treatment is invasive — cutting back the affected tissue — and the recovery requires careful management of moisture and bedding. The owner, a retired teacher, has been meticulous about following protocol. Those are the cases that come out well.

End of summer soup: roasted red pepper and tomato, blended smooth, with a little cream and fresh basil. The last of the season's best produce going into a pot together. August in a bowl. I eat it and try to hold onto it before October takes it away.

The soup I described is its own thing — something I make just for myself, once, while the tomatoes are still worth it. But when I wanted to bring that same end-of-summer red pepper instinct into something I could share, something that would last a little longer on the table, this red pepper meat loaf was where I landed. It holds the sweetness of the peppers the way August holds the last of its warmth: tucked inside something sturdy, something that doesn’t disappear the moment you look away from it.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 1 hr | Total Time: 1 hr 20 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (85% lean)
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup ketchup (for topping)
1 tbsp brown sugar (for topping)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (for topping)

Instructions

Roast the pepper. Place the red bell pepper directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and finely chop.
Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Soak the breadcrumbs. In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let stand 2–3 minutes until the milk is absorbed.
Mix the loaf. Add the ground beef, roasted red pepper, onion, garlic, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix by hand until just combined — do not overwork.
Shape and pan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan or form into a freestanding loaf on the baking sheet, about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide.
Make the glaze. Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Spread evenly over the top of the loaf.
Bake. Bake for 55–65 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F and the glaze is set and slightly caramelized. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Red Pepper Meat Loaf — The Last Good Thing Before the Season Turns