This stuffed meatloaf with pulled pork & cheese is a real meat monster. It takes a few hours of cooking time, but the waiting is definitely worth it. In addition, this meatloaf is delicious, extremely satiating and perfectly suitable for a ketogenic diet.
First, use the pork shoulder to make pulled pork. I used a stewing pan in which I seared the meat, then added some water and put the pan into the oven for about 6 hours, with the lid on. If you are not sure on how to prepare it, just use my easy and foolproof method for which you don't even need a stewing pan: Easy Pulled Pork Recipe
When the pork is about to be done, start to prepare the meat mixture. For that, put the ground beef, eggs & all seasonings into a bowl and mix everything thoroughly until it is a homogeneous mixture. You may use a food processor or simply mix it using your hands
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F)
Take the pork out of the stewing pan / pot, remove all bones, pull the meat apart and keep it on a plate or in a bowl. Then, put a piece of cling film onto a cutting board. This helps to wrap the meatloaf up
Now, spread the meat mixture on the cling film, as evenly as possible
Afterwards, add the stuffings on top. Spread the pulled pork evenly and the cheese only on one half
Then, use the cling film to wrap everything up. Start on the cheese side first to make sure that the cheese will be completely wrapped up and can't leak out
When it is all wrapped up, put the loaf onto a baking tray with parchment paper and carefully remove the cling film
Finally, bake the meatloaf in the oven for about 1 hour
Recipe Notes
Of course, you may also use any other cheese you prefer, like mozzarella, parmesan or cheddar.
The pulled pork turns out great if you use pork neck instead of shoulder, too. It may be even better as pork neck usually is a little fattier then shoulder and therefore juicier & more flavorful.
This easy kidney recipe with calf's kidney makes a delicious and nutrient dense meal. It is very satiating and perfectly suited for low carb diets. In addition, kidneys have a great offering of folate, iron, zinc, copper & selenium and are also a great source of protein for a post-workout meal.
First, cut the kidneys in half and remove the gristly white centers (the fat) carefully
It is best to use a paring knife for this. Remove as much of it as possible and keep it if you want to make tallow - more details in the recipe notes
After that, cut the kidney meat into bite sized pieces and put them into a strainer. When finished, thoroughly rinse them with cold water for a few minutes
Now, add the salt to a big bowl, add some water and stir until the salt is dissolved. Then, add the kidney pieces and so much cold water that they are completely covered
Cover the bowl with cling film / plastic wrap, put it into the fridge and let the kidneys soak in water for at least 2 hours. After that, take the pieces out of the water, into a clean strainer and rinse them with fresh water again. Afterwards, let them drip off excess water for a minute
Melt the butter in a pan on low heat, add the kidney pieces and cook them for about 7 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Then, put them to the side (e.g. into a soup plate) in order to make the sauce in the pan
Sauce - Final Steps
After cooking the kidney pieces, leave any remaining liquid in the pan and add the extra butter. Then, add the sliced onions and let them cook for about 5 minutes
Next, add the cream & cream cheese to the pan and stir until it is dissolved. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, until the sauce starts to thicken. Now is the time to taste the sauce and add salt & pepper to your preferences
Finally, add the kidney pieces back to the pan and let them simmer in the sauce for another 3 minutes on low heat. Don't cook too long or on higher heat as the kidney tends to become chewy then
Recipe Notes
If you want to render the kidney fat cut it into small bits or mince it in a food processor.
Then, put it into a pot or big pan on low heat and wait for all the fat to get out while stirring occasionally.
You can see that it's done when there is clear fat on the bottom with crispy bits on top.
Now, you can remove these floating bits by pouring all content through a cheesecloth or fabric into another pot.
When the fat is cooled, pour it into mason jars and keep them in the fridge.
Now, cut the big piece of cheese into small dices and bits
Then, put baking paper onto a baking tray and scatter the cheese bits on it. Remember to leave big enough gaps between the pieces
Afterwards, slide the baking tray into the oven and bake the cheese for 60-90 minutes in order to dry it. This time period may vary, depending on your oven and the type of cheese you use. If your oven doesn't have ventilation or if its thermostat isn't that accurate, I recommend to open the door about every 10 minutes or leave it opened with a small gap during the drying process
Always have an eye on the cheese, look after it every 10-15 minutes. In case it starts melting too much, open your oven's door to let evaporated water and some heat out. Also, the cheese should continuously decrease the amount of bubbles that it throws (evaporating water)
When almost all the water has evaporated from the cheese (no more bubbling), you can turn the heat up to 140-150°C (285-300°F) to make the cheese popping and give it some crisp
Afterwards, simply take out the baking tray and let the popped cheese cool down for a few minutes
Recipe Notes
I had no instructions for these so I thought, I'd just figure it out on my own.
You need to evaporate the water from the cheese, therefore a temperature of about 100°C -or right below it- is needed. This way, the water evaporates, without the cheese melting too much.
