Making The Best Meatloaf Recipe

The greatest meatloaf recipe is one that is flavorful, simple to prepare, and inexpensive.

A spicy topping with ground beef, seasonings, onions, and a few bread crumbs is my favorite part!

Below, I provide my top advice for making delectable meatloaf that is soft, holds together, and is sure to please.

The family loves this basic The Best Meatloaf Recipe because it’s so quick to prepare. For the ideal comfort food, serve with a side of mashed potatoes or mac & cheese.

Ingredients

• GROUND BEEF: For meatloaf, we use 80/20 ground beef. This gives it enough fat without making it oily to keep it juicy.
• The proper texture of the loaf is provided by breadcrumbs and eggs. The best breadcrumbs are Italian or seasoned since they have more taste.
• Italian seasoning, onions, parsley, salt, and pepper are the seasonings. tasty but straightforward.
• The icing is the nicest part! A preferred topping is a spicy mixture of ketchup and chili sauce (with a dash of brown sugar).

Sauce for meatloaf

My preferred Meatloaf Recipe glaze is a tasty, zesty topping that caramelizes and becomes a little sticky as it bakes to glaze the meatloaf.

Like my mother always did, I combine chili sauce with ketchup and add a dash of brown sugar.

Variations

• Skip the chili sauce and instead make a brown sugar ketchup meatloaf glaze with a touch of cider vinegar.
• Brown Gravy: Instead of topping the meatloaf, serve it with brown gravy (homemade, leftover, or packaged).

Recipe for Meatloaf

• In a pan, soften the onion (per the recipe below).
• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients.
• Make a loaf, then bake it (cook times below based on the size of the loaf).
• Add the meatloaf sauce on top, then bake until bubbling.

Advice for Excellence

• Never over-mix; only stir until everything is mixed. A dense loaf will result from over-mixing!
• Use Lean Meat: Use meat that is lean (but not extra lean). The ideal proportion for meatloaf is 80/20. Lean beef is the best choice because you need a little fat for flavor but don’t want it swimming in grease.
• Add flavors and moisture: Seasonings and milk-soaked breadcrumbs keep this meatloaf moist and tasty throughout.
• Skip the Loaf Pan: The best results are achieved when cooking meatloaf on a baking sheet. If you cook in a loaf pan, the meat will steam and there won’t be anywhere for the drippings to go. Nobody wants steamed meat. Create your loaf on a pan covered with foil.
• Any The Best Meatloaf Recipe should be rested once it has been taken out of the oven. This ensures that it won’t crumble when you cut it and helps redistribute the liquids!

Meatloaf Cooking Time

A 2 lb Meatloaf Recipe (recipe below) will take 55 to 65 minutes to cook at 350°F or 45 to 55 minutes at 375°F. Make sure the internal temperature of the meat is 160°F using a meat thermometer.

Time to Cook a Meatloaf

Use the cook times listed below to cook at 350°F if you are halving (or doubling) a recipe. The easiest technique to make sure the meatloaf is thoroughly cooked yet delightfully soft is with a thermometer.

Steps for Freezing Meatloaf

Before Cooking Place the meatloaf in a loaf pan covered with plastic wrap to freeze it before cooking (or form a loaf on a pan). Completely freeze; tightly seal. Frozen raw meatloaf needs 24 hours in the fridge to defrost. As indicated, bake.

Following cooking Slices should be frozen separately on a pan coated with paper after cooking and cooling. Transfer the frozen slices to a freezer bag.

This makes it simple to take one or several slices to reheat! Just reheat in the oven or microwave.

1. Set the oven to 350°F. Cooking spray should be used to coat a baking sheet coated with foil.
2. Onions should be softened in butter over low heat in a small pan. Complete cooling.
3. Combine the eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Give the mixture five to ten minutes to sit.
4. Add the Italian seasoning, parsley, 1 tablespoon of ketchup or chili sauce, onions, ground meat, and salt and pepper to taste. Just combine after combining.
5. On the prepared baking sheet, shape an 8″x4″ loaf. For 40 minutes, bake.
6. Meanwhile, combine the ketchup and chili sauce (and brown sugar if used).
   Spread the mixture over the meatloaf and bake it for a further 10-15 minutes, or until it is well cooked and reaches a temperature of 160°F. If preferred, broil for a few minutes.
7. Before slicing, give the meatloaf 10 minutes to rest.

Notes

It’s optional to add 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard to the beef mixture. Without cooking, onions can be added, but they might not soften as much and will taste stronger.
Avoid Overmixing: Just combine everything after mixing. A dense loaf will result from over-mixing!
Use 80/20 for superb taste without making it oily. Use lean meat.
Don’t neglect the seasonings, and soaking the breadcrumbs in milk will make the meatloaf moist and tasty throughout.
Don’t Use the Loaf Pan: You can get a lovely crust on your meatloaf by baking it on a baking sheet. The meat steams when cooked in a loaf because there is nowhere else for the drippings to go.
Rest the meatloaf: After it comes out of the oven, let practically any meat recipe rest the meatloaf. This keeps it from crumbling when cut and helps redistribute the juices!

Nutrition