The Retro Ground Beef Dish We Don't See People Eat Anymore (And For Good Reason)

During the 20th century, gelatin was used in more dishes than just desserts. While some recipes were still sweet, others were meant to be savory, like jellied meatloaf. This retro meal was popular during a time of rationing and preservation, but society has turned away from it due to a lack of necessity.

Jellied meatloaf was a product of that necessity during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and it was one of many meatloaf variations found around the world. It was first seen in the 1931 "Knox Gelatine" cookbook and has been iterated upon since. During the wartime period from 1943 to 1945, meat was rationed, and people looked for alternative ways to preserve it. Gelatin served that purpose, so the recipe from the previous decade remained popular. You can cook the meat, mix it with gelatin, and chill it to be eaten the next day. That's right: It was served cold.

While there's nothing exceptionally wrong with it, adding gelatin to a meatloaf doesn't appeal to the modern palate the way it used to. People during the '30s, '40s, and '50s might have made a jellied meatloaf or jelly salads as a centerpiece for the dinner table, but as time went on and the need to preserve as much food shrank, so did people's desire to watch their meatloaf bounce as they moved the table. For example, Elvis Presley's go-to meatloaf had wheat germ as a unique ingredient, providing a firm texture rather than one of Jell-O.

If you're interested in making a jellied meatloaf, the process is relatively simple. You only need some ground beef (or whatever meat you'd like to use), vegetables like celery and onions, beef stock (or vegetable soup), water, and gelatin. We're not talking about the fruit-flavored Jell-O gelatin you buy in the boxes — just plain gelatin powder. Many recipes also call for chopped pimiento peppers to be added raw, but you can use more or fewer vegetables if you prefer.

Making jellied meatloaf is simple: Combine the cooked meat, prepared gelatin, stock, and other ingredients, pour the mixture into the mold of your choosing, and let it cool. Depending on the mold you use, you can slice it and present your dish to guests. If you choose smaller ramekins or Bundt pans, you can have single-serve loaves if you think people will want to eat that much.

Jellied meatloaf is a dish that some people may enjoy, while others, like TikToker B. Dylan Hollis, can't stomach it. The flavor can be easily tailored to personal preferences, using different stocks, meats, and vegetables, but the texture isn't for everyone. Many people who've made the recipe find it surprisingly pleasant, as long as they're not expecting today's standard for a warm, well-seasoned, and crumbly meatloaf. Cold, jiggly ground beef might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it'll certainly get a conversation started at the dinner table that might end with good impressions.