Kibbeh zwan luncheon meatloaf

We turned a well-known dish from the Middle East, kibbeh, and turned it into a meatloaf, except we used some Zwan Chicken Luncheon Meat, a brand of halal luncheon meat commonly eaten in many African and Caribbean nations. 

I first found Zwan Luncheon Meat at my local supermarket when they started selling more international foods and it looked interesting, considering I never knew Muslims had their own halal version of spam. If luncheon meats weren't so salty, I really do believe more people would use them as the meat in meatloaf.

A Dutch company actually makes this product, though I don't remember if the can said "Product of Lebanon", but anyhow, I discovered a really common dish of said country, kibbeh, which is commonly made with bulgur and beef, goat, lamb, or camel meat(i've never tried camel meat before though it would be interesting to make some chocolate or caramel using camel hump fat and camel milk powder...). 

Speaking of bulgur, it's quite the interesting grain. To make 2 servings, you only need 1/2 a cup of bulgur and 1 cup water. The bulgur practically doubles in size when it's cooking, so when measured, it's really 1 cup cooked bulgur! But I put in some breadcrumbs just to make sure the mixture would hold together. 

You're probably wondering about what Zwan chicken luncheon meat is like. Well, for starters, the can is so easy to open. In the past, I've had problems opening up canned corned beef, which usually comes with a key and if you don't open the can correctly, the meat is stuck in the can. There's no key needed to open up a can of Zwan luncheon meat! 

As for the meat itself, it's very thick. I'd say it's even thicker than spam. When it comes to taste, it tastes like as if you put a bunch of frankfurters in a food processor and turned them into a really thick puree! Trust me, it tastes better than its description. 

The bulgur on the outside makes the meatloaf crispy, which contrasts well with the softness of the luncheon meat inside the loaf. Speaking of contrasts, I initially thought this meatloaf would go well with honey but once I realized the meatloaf tasted like frankfurters, I tried dipping it in ketchup instead. That's a much better pairing. I mean, nobody ever puts honey on top of a hot dog! That sounds kinda gross actually, and that says a lot coming from a guy who likes eating weird shit(not literal shit, although there is a fancy type of coffee made from some animal's actual 💩). 

My dad didn't try this meatloaf simply because he ate a heavy dinner beforehand. I swear, he's coming up with better and better excuses to not try my food. 

HELPFUL LINKS: 

Pine Nut Butter: www.amazon.com/Dastony-Wild-Pine-Nut-Butter/dp/B07BKS15LN/

Aleppo Chili Pepper: www.amazon.com/Aleppo-Turkish-Pepper-Zamouri-Spices/dp/B00562WN1Q/

Zwan Chicken Luncheon Meatloaf: www.amazon.com/Zwan-Luncheon-Halal-Chicken-Ounce/dp/B00AR170NC/

Ingredients: 

Pinch of onion powder
2 beaten and whisked eggs
​1/2 cup pine nut butter(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Pinch of Aleppo Chili Pepper(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Pinch of cardamom(or cinnamon + nutmeg)
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup cooked bulgur wheat
2 tsp. plain breadcrumbs
12 oz. Zwan Chicken Luncheon Meat(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Serve with either ketchup or honey

Instructions: 

1. Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Crumble up the luncheon meat into a ground meat consistency. 
2. Mix all the ingredients up until you get a firm mixture. 
3. Spray a lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Form 2 loaves from the mixture. 
5. Bake the meatloaves in a 350℉ oven for an hour. It's normal for the inside of the meatloaves to be pink, but it's nothing to worry about since the meat is already cooked when it's sold in the can. 
6. Serve with either ketchup or honey on the side to counteract to saltiness of the luncheon meat. 

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