Bob Marley's barbecue meatloaf

New cookbooks constantly pour into the Cold, Hard Football Facts world headquarters, mostly of the barbecue & grilling variety. One of these days, we intend to hire someone who's sole job will be to pull out the best recipes and share them with you.

 

In the interim, we'll highlight cool recipes whenever we get the chance.

 

One that we just jumped all over comes from "The Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook" (Wiley & Sons, 2007), a collection of recipes from the legendary barbecue joint and music hall of Austin, Texas.

 

It's a recipe for "Marley 'cue meatloaf," a dish reggae legend Bob Marley made (according to the book) after jamming on stage with Stubb's owner C.B. Stubblefield. We have a sneaking suspicion that many of our readers have taken a toke or two while listening to Marley, perhaps even at a tailgate, and might want to recreate the experience with one of Marley's own recipes. It's also pretty timely here on the eve of the 2007 draft: as shocking as it may seem, it turns out some NFL prospects smoked a little of the reefer in college. Who knew?

 

Next thing you know, we'll find out that they used their power as BMOC to bag the hottest chicks in school.

 

Allspice is one of the most notable flavors in jerk seasonings and sauces, and the addition of it to this recipe really helps give the meatloaf some true Jamaican flavor and aroma ... beyond the Jamaican aroma most of you are familiar with.

In a large bowl, soak fruit bits in apple juice for 10 minutes. Add sausage, beef, bread crumbs, onion, cream, eggs, seasoning and allspice. Mix everything together with clean hands. In a lightly greased foil pan, shape the meat into a 9x5 loaf. In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce and ketchup and set aside.

 

Fire up a two-zone grill, with hot coals on one side, and other side empty of coals, for indirect cooking. Cover grill and bring to medium temperature (about 350 to 400 degrees).

 

Cook the meatloaf in its pan over indirect heat (cool side of covered grill), for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Smear meatloaf with barbecue sauce-ketchup topping halfway through. Meatloaf is done when internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Let meat rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve. Serves 4.

 

By Kerry Byrne