# Meatloaf: Tomato sauce, or brown gravy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382 "2020-01-14T00:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/61 "2020-01-15T00:22:57Z")
[Cumberland Sauce](https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/cumberland-sauce-recipe.html) Although it might depend on what you are mixing the venison with. You’ll have to add some other meat, because venison doesn’t have enough fat to make a good meatloaf. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/62 "2020-01-15T00:36:01Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Tastelessness knows no bounds. Food pervos FTW! > > Maybe the problem is the meat. Beef? Pork? Fowl? Squirrel? Coon? Does armadillo meatloaf require Cholula sauce? Let’s say I toss a net from my cabin porch, snag a deer, get it butchered, and add onions and breadcrumbs, what would be the best sauce? For me, that would be an easy answer. I’d make a blackberry balsamic gastrique. Goes great with venison and most wild game. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/63 "2020-01-15T00:40:49Z")
> [@Rough\_Draft](#): > > White gravy sounds intriguing too, but I’ve never seen a recipe for that. Chopped onion and garlic sauteed in drippings, some roux (butter and flour), whole milk, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add some red pepper flakes, if desired. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/64 "2020-01-15T02:55:05Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Tastelessness knows no bounds. Food pervos FTW! > > Maybe the problem is the meat. Beef? Pork? Fowl? Squirrel? Coon? Does armadillo meatloaf require Cholula sauce? Let’s say I toss a net from my cabin porch, snag a deer, get it butchered, and add onions and breadcrumbs, what would be the best sauce? Ground rat loaf. Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll never go back. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/65 "2020-01-15T11:27:20Z")
My wife has about half a dozen dishes that she will cook. She only cooks a few times a year. She does make a pretty good meat loaf and it has a tomato sauce over it. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/66 "2020-01-15T12:58:45Z")
Ok, people. How do you make brown gravy with a meatloaf? There’s not enough drippings to make a roux. I’ve used jarred gravy before, but it’s kinda gross. I would like to have gravy, but I just use ketchup. My “topping” is ketchup mixed with A-1 sauce. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/67 "2020-01-15T13:23:18Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I can’t lie. I can’t tell you I’d eat something I won’t. No matter how I try I’ll never be able. Really? I would do \*anything \*for loaf. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/68 "2020-01-15T13:42:40Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Ok, people. How do you make brown gravy with a meatloaf? There’s not enough drippings to make a roux. I’ve used jarred gravy before, but it’s kinda gross. > > I would like to have gravy, but I just use ketchup. My “topping” is ketchup mixed with A-1 sauce. Cook bacon for breakfast and save the grease. Bacon fat makes the best gravy. My grandparents kept a grease can on the stove. We don’t do that. We use fresh grease from earlier in the day. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/69 "2020-01-15T14:29:20Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Let’s say I toss a net from my cabin porch, snag a deer, get it butchered, and add onions and breadcrumbs, what would be the best sauce? Hunger, of course. Hunger is always the best sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/70 "2020-01-15T15:01:50Z")
Ketchup mixed with grated horseradish. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/71 "2020-01-15T15:55:41Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Ok, people. How do you make brown gravy with a meatloaf? There’s not enough drippings to make a roux. I’ve used jarred gravy before, but it’s kinda gross. > > I would like to have gravy, but I just use ketchup. My “topping” is ketchup mixed with A-1 sauce. Perhaps your beef is too lean. I use a mixture of 20% ground and lean ground (and ground lamb, usually), which will provide some fat in the pan. Use that plus either butter or bacon fat and go from there. If it’s not brown enough, add a small amount of [Kitchen Bouquet](https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Bouquet-Browning-Seasoning-Sauce/dp/B01GI20R4C). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/72 "2020-01-15T16:20:23Z")
I never knew tomato sauce was an option, we always had ketchup. But yeah now that I think about it, brown gravy would complement meatloaf and mashed potatoes really well. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/73 "2020-01-15T17:00:43Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Ok, people. How do you make brown gravy with a meatloaf? There’s not enough drippings to make a roux. I’ve used jarred gravy before, but it’s kinda gross. > > I would like to have gravy, but I just use ketchup. My “topping” is ketchup mixed with A-1 sauce. I use Better Than Bouillon to make gravy. add herbs and spices to taste. Add some to your meatloaf mix for an extra beefy kick. Be careful though, it’s really salty, so cut back on your regular salt. For gravy, I use the low sodium version. As for preference, it’ depends on my mood. Done right, a really juicy meatloaf doesn’t even need gravy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/74 "2020-01-15T17:12:59Z")
A cold meatloaf sandwich, OTOH, demands mustard and relish. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/75 "2020-01-15T17:30:39Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Ketchup mixed with grated horseradish. So, cocktail sauce, then? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/76 "2020-01-15T22:51:03Z")
I prefer brown gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/77 "2020-01-15T22:57:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > A cold meatloaf sandwich, OTOH, demands mustard and relish. Mayo, you heathen. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/78 "2020-01-15T23:02:27Z")
My seconds will call on yours shortly, sirrah! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/79 "2020-01-15T23:07:26Z")
It depends - and I’m probably about to commit heresy here, but sometimes, I like meatloaf with liver included in it - in which case, I prefer a meaty brown gravy. If it’s more like a meatball-style recipe, I prefer a tomato-based sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382/80 "2020-01-15T23:32:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Mayo, you heathen. _Warmed_ meatloaf sanger with mayo. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meatloaf-tomato-sauce-or-brown-gravy/846382.md?page=5)