In a recent episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy Fieri takes us on a flavorful journey to Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery in North Conway, New Hampshire. Known for its combination of brewing beer and smoking meats, Moat Mountain has been a staple for comfort food lovers for over two decades. This time, Guy is here to sample their BBQ Meatloaf, a dish that promises to satisfy any meat lover’s cravings.
Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery: A New England Gem
Located in the picturesque town of North Conway, Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery offers a cozy retreat after a day of skiing or hiking. Owners Vicki Valentino and Stephen Johnson have created a haven for comfort food enthusiasts, combining Stephen’s passion for skiing with his love for fine dining and barbecue.
As Guy notes, “They came up here for the skiing to brew beer and to smoke meats, and well, they’ve been doing it for 22 years, so I gotta check it out.”
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The Highlight: BBQ Meatloaf
The star of this episode is undoubtedly the BBQ Meatloaf.
Crafting the Austin Barbecue Sauce
The journey to this scrumptious meatloaf begins with the Austin barbecue sauce. It’s a robust and spicy blend that includes whole grain mustard, Chipotles in adobo, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, dry English mustard, habanero peppers, Sriracha chili, and garlic. As Guy comments, “Almost getting into Carolina now,” this sauce packs a punch that elevates the meatloaf to the next level.
The Meatloaf Mix
The meatloaf itself starts with a blend of all steak ground beef (80/20) with a touch of short rib for extra richness. The mix is combined with what Stephen calls the Cajun mirepoix – a combination of red and green bell peppers, onions, and the Austin barbecue sauce. Additional ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, sour cream for tang, kosher salt, minced fresh garlic, dry parsley, ground black pepper, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs.
The mixture is then formed into five and a quarter pound balls to create the meatloaf and glazed with the Austin barbecue sauce before being baked at 350 degrees for an hour and a quarter. “We glaze them with the Austin sauce cooked off about 350 for about an hour and a quarter,” Stephen explains.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
As if the meatloaf wasn’t enough to entice your taste buds, it’s served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. These are not your ordinary mashed potatoes; they are elevated with roasted garlic, melted butter, milk, kosher salt, whole black pepper, half and half, and even more sour cream. “You and your sour cream, bro,” Guy quips, appreciating the richness and flavor that sour cream brings to the dish.
Assembling the Plate
The BBQ Meatloaf is plated with the creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes, grilled butternut squash, and perfectly cooked green beans. As Guy sinks his teeth into the dish, he exclaims, “That’s great meatloaf. It’s so tender, moist, full of flavor. Your Austin city barbecue sauce is wham bam!”
“Then you move over to the mashed potatoes which have an awesome amount of sour cream in them, roasted garlic flavor all the way through,” Guy continues, clearly impressed by the layers of flavors in the meal. “Your butternut squash cleanses the palate. Well done.”