Meat Loaf – Tried and True

Tried and true Meat Loaf recipe with multiple variations for many tastes! My family loves meatloaf and my girls go nuts for this recipe! We love it with the glaze that’s at the bottom of the recipe.

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Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes   Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes  

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean ground beef
2/3 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (or sage, basil, oregano, or my favorite Cajun!*)

Optional Glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard

*reduce the salt if using a premixed spice that contains sodium

Directions

Preaheat oven to 350°F.

Gently crumble the meat into a large bowl. The key to a tender meatloaf is to handle the meat as little as possible. To ensure easy mixing, gently separate the ground bits and make a well (depression) in the center.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, you can substitute crushed crackers or stuffing mix if desired, evenly over the contents in the bowl.

In a second bowl, stir together the milk, beaten eggs, and seasoning. Mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the well you created in the meat. With clean hands fold the meat toward the center. Do this by grasping the side of the bowl with one hand, to hold it steady. Slide the other under the meat and fold it toward the middle. Rotate the bowl and repeat. Only repeat this step until the meat is just mixed.

I prefer to cook my loaves free form. Gently pat the meat into a loaf shape on a clean baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for approximately an hour, but check the temperature after 45 minutes and spread with the glaze, if desired. Cook for 10 – 15 more minutes. The meatloaf is done when it reaches 160° in the center.

Variations:

If using pre-seasoned bread crumbs, reduce the salt in the recipe.
Try using 1/2 bulk Italian sausage and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.
Some swear by a 50:50 mixture of ground pork and ground beef.
I like to add grated vegetables such as carrot or zucchini into the mix.
Finely diced bell pepper is a nice touch.
When making variations that call for cheese or wet ingredients like BBQ sauce, reduce the milk.
Finally, I love leftover meatloaf even more than the original meal. It makes a great sandwich or an excellent addition crumbled into vegetable soup.

Categories: Beef, Main Dish

Submitted by: jgeorgiou on January 17, 2011