Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Meat Loaf
As a newlywed, this is one of the first recipes I ever made. My husband loved it and raved about it, and I felt like I had found a million dollar recipe! This is from the “Jack Daniel’s – The Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook”. It is truly a wonderful cookbook – full of traditional, southern recipes as well as fascinating stories of the people and culture of middle Tennessee. If you can find a copy, I highly recommend it!
Update from me—12 or so years later:
This is still one of our family’s favorite meatloaf recipes, and it holds such a fond place in my heart. Over time, I’ve learned more about the incredible woman behind the name: Miss Mary Bobo ran her boarding house in Lynchburg, Tennessee, for decades with warmth, hospitality, and a deep love of cooking. Funny enough, we share the same birthday—and being two Tennessee girls who love feeding people, I can’t help but feel a little kindred connection.
This recipe is a slice of Southern tradition and a taste of home, and I’m so glad to keep sharing it and making it all these years later.
And about those photos…
Look, I’ll be the first to admit: meatloaf isn’t exactly camera-ready. It’s the cozy cardigan of the food world—warm, dependable, and not exactly flashy. But what it lacks in photogenic appeal, it makes up for in flavor tenfold. So, let’s just agree to forgive the lighting and embrace the messy, saucy, soul-satisfying goodness for what it is: comfort food at its best.
🧐 Ketchup or Catsup?
Ever wondered why some recipes say “catsup” instead of “ketchup”? They’re actually the same thing—just spelled differently! “Catsup” was the preferred spelling in many parts of the South and Midwest for years, and it still shows up in classic Southern cookbooks like this one. Today, “ketchup” is more widely used, but I like to think “catsup” adds a little extra charm and tradition to a recipe like this.
Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Meat Loaf
Ingredients
Boarding House Meat Loaf
- 1 pound ground beef I use 80/20
- 3/4 cup uncooked quick-oats
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup catsup
- 2 eggs beaten
Boarding House Meat Loaf Sauce
- 3/4 cup catsup
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
- 1/3 cup of brown sugar slightly packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a loaf pan or shallow casserole dish with olive oil.
- Combine and shape all of the ingredients into a loaf.
- Cook for about an hour, or until it reaches 160 degrees in the center.
- Meanwhile, heat sauce mixture in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until the onions and peppers are tender.
- Pour off the juice from the meatloaf and place on a platter, cover with sauce.
Notes
