Bobby Flay's Chile Glaze Is What Makes His Southwestern Meatloaf Stand Out

Ever since celebrity chef and TV personality Bobby Flay brought his take on Southwestern cooking to New York City with his first restaurant, Mesa Grill, in 1991, he's been bringing depth and punch to his culinary creations with chiles. Whether it's chipotles, one of his favorite ingredients to cook with, or ancho and New Mexican varieties, which he uses to great effect in his Southwestern meatloaf, he has a soft spot for these spicy fruits.

Flay's meatloaf recipe, which he made on an episode of Food Network's "The Bobby and Damaris Show," lets anchos and New Mexican chiles shine in a simple glaze that elevates this classic American dish. He tosses rehydrated ancho chiles and New Mexican chiles (stems and seeds removed) with honey, apple cider vinegar, and cloves in a blender, which he then brushes on his beef and pork meatloaf about 15 minutes before it's done baking. The addition of two different chiles is a key factor in what makes this glaze so special, and are what help this meatloaf stand out.

Ancho chiles are poblano peppers that have been further vine-ripened and then dried. Flavorwise, they're earthy, a bit sweet, and bring a nice depth of flavor to a dish. In his cookbook "Bobby Flay: Chapter One," Bobby Flay remarks on the chile's "spicy raison notes." They tend to be on the milder side heat-wise and Flay often uses them, including in his New Mexican spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, specifically for the bourbon-chile sauce.

New Mexican chiles, on the other hand, are medium hot. While they are also earthy, their flavor profile is brighter and fruitier with hints of cherries and plums. They, too, typically come dried and need to be rehydrated for Flay's recipe. The combination of these two chiles bring zing, sweetness, and a touch of heat to the dish. Flay has used somewhat similar chile-forward glazes for other recipes, such as using ancho chile powder and chipotles in adobo sauce for a salmon glaze. In his meatloaf recipe, the combination of these two chiles make the dish sing.