By Frank E. Vaerewijck, “The Firehouse Foodie”
Do a million things right, and no one remembers. Do ONE thing wrong, and NO ONE forgets. This ageless statement is not only true on the fireground, it’s oh so true in the kitchen too. It’s probably more so in the kitchen at the station, because of great efforts in fire prevention and because we cook more dinners than we fight fires.
As the officer on the engine, I was always mindful of my crew. I helped wash the truck, and I always complimented my crew, making sure they knew how much I appreciated their efforts. Now I’m not patting myself on the back, but I do want you to understand where I’m coming from and make my point.
It was a Friday night duty crew, like any other night with one difference–it was Meatloaf Night, and the whole crew was on shift. I had a tall order to fill and was up for the challenge. Brian, my driver and the oldest member of the crew, was already asking when dinner was going to be ready. Being that he was Moses’s driver, back when Jesus was the fire chief, I’m certain he wanted to make sure dinnertime didn’t interfere with bedtime.
I had all the ingredients, the oven was heated and ready to go, the time was right, and I was mixing my masterful creation with a short time line in mind. Well, my friends, remember when I just said I had all the ingredients? Well, it turns out, I had a lot of ingredients and with that, this was a colossal meatloaf! This joker was big enough to feed not just the engine in our house but the engine down the street, the rescue, the ladder, and the medic, so as you can imagine, it took some time to cook.
Fast forward to three and a half hours later: The colossal meatloaf was ready, the tater tots were covered in melted cheese and chives, and dinner was served … at almost 10 p.m. Remember the old guy? Yeah, I still hear about how he almost died of hunger that night, and that was well over a year ago that the colossal meatloaf dinner happened. Do a million things right, and no one remembers. Do one thing wrong, and these folks don’t ever let you live it down, and “That’s Bringing the Firehouse Home!”
Not-So-Colossal Meatloaf
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
1½ pounds ground beef (DO NOT BUY MORE, TRUST ME!)
1 egg
1 onion, chopped
1 cup milk
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/3 cup ketchup
1 lb. bacon (see Instruction #5)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk, and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 5- x 9-inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9- x 13-inch baking dish.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Mix well, and pour over the meatloaf.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour (NOT 3½ HOURS!)
- For an extra treat, wrap it in bacon before cooking (I like thick-cut bacon).
ENJOY, and thanks for being a part of the Firehouse Foodie Nation!
Frank E. Vaerewijck has had a passion for the fire service that has spanned 20 years. He has been a volunteer and career firefighter and is currently a firefighter/EMT with Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department (yes, where the bacon comes from, THAT Smithfield). He has passed on his passion for the fire service through instruction and mentorship. That same passion he has for the fire service is shared with his love of food. In 2006, Vaerewyck won an Iron Chef-style competition sponsored by a radio station in Richmond, Virginia. That is where he also furthered his education by attending a Culinary Arts Program. As the Firehouse Foodie, he has been compiling recipes to be included in a cookbook that will give others the opportunity to see their hometown heroes not just as firefighters but as the firehouse chefs they truly are.
