We have a lot in common with Lee Roy Selmon. He was a dominant power on the fields of football and went on to open a successful restaurant chain.

 

The Cold, Hard Football Facts is a dominant power on the fields of football analysis and we often eat at successful restaurant chains.

 

It's like we're twins.

 

Selmon, of course, is one of the great defensive players in NFL history, a 1995 Hall of Fame inductee who was named the face of the Buccaneers franchise by the Cold, Hard Football Facts in early 2008.

 

After his playing days, Selmon opened Lee Roy Selmon’s, a chain of restaurants around Tampa serving up homestyle favorites, many of which the Hall of Famer grew up eating as a child.

 

“It's rewarding to see our customers enjoying the cooking traditions I remember from the days spent on our farm in Oklahoma where our family learned to harvest the land together," said Selmon, who shared with us this recipe for his mama's meatloaf and several others that we'll publish in coming weeks. "That was where our parents planted the seeds of love, faith and hard work that remain in our lives today."

 

The best part of Selmon's mama's meatloaf is that, when served “Selmon’s style,” it’s a perfect tailgate dish. You cook the meatloaf ahead of time. Then bring it to the parking lot, slice it and grill it.

 

2 Tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced green pepper

½ c. diced celery

2 pounds ground beef (80/20 mix)

1 pound ground pork or 1 pound ground veal

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup tomato sauce

½ cup barbecue sauce

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat skillet over medium high heat, add butter and sauté garlic, onion, peppers and celery until soft. Set aside to cool.

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine meat and remaining ingredients. Add cooled sautéed vegetables. Mix until just incorporated. Firmly press meat mixture into pan to shape, removing air pockets.

 

Cover pan with foil and bake for approximately 60 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven and drain juices.

 

Cut and serve immediately OR to serve Selmon’s style; follow these instructions:

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