Classic meatloaf recipe, It is easy, comforting, and makes for the best leftovers if you are lucky enough to have any. In addition, while there is so many different ways, you can get creative with meatloaf; this is the recipe that I go back to repeatedly because it just hits the spot. So let me show you how to make the best ever meatloaf and give you a few essential tips along the way.
CLASSIC MEATLOAF RECIPE
To get started, you will need to finely dice one small onion or at least a small onion. This is probably closer to medium-sized, though you people know I only seem to get gigantic-sized produce here in Southern California, but the onion really serves two purposes. Not only does it add lots of flavor and moisture to the meatloaf, but it also prevents it from becoming too dense.
You do not want a meatloaf that has compacted down and thick. It should really just barely hold together enough to slice and then fall apart easily with your fork as soon as you dig in.
four garlic cloves.
So give those a smash with your knife and then peel their outer skins off. I prefer fresh garlic for the most robust flavor, but in a pinch, you could use about a tablespoon of jarred minced garlic as well. To add some greens and freshness into the meatloaf, roughly chop about two tablespoons of flat leaf parsley. Many recipes only use dried seasonings in meatloaf, but I think the fresh parsley really does amplify the flavor. Moreover, you can chop a little extra parsley for sprinkling on top at the end to make it look pretty.
Ingredient:
Before we start mixing is the oats. I am using two thirds cup of quick-cooking oats, though if you like a slightly chunkier texture, you could use rolled oats as well.
What type of ground beef to use for meatloaf?
Because they are naturally gluten-free, but again, they help prevent the meatloaf from becoming too dense. Add two pounds of ground beef to a mixing bowl, and I am using 85% ground beef to keep it moist, Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Though you can use any leanness, you prefer. Then add the onion that you just chopped up along with the garlic, and I just mince those cloves straight into the bowl. To that, you will add 2 eggs, which help to bind everything together, three tablespoons of ketchup and one tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, which I really love in this recipe as it adds that special depth of flavor.
The two-thirds cup of quick-cooking oats, one third cup of milk, and you can use dairy or dairy-free. I am actually using macadamia nut milk today.
The two tablespoons of parsley, one teaspoon of Italian seasoning, one teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Then dig in with your hands and mix it all together. In addition, the oats naturally start to soak up the milk and Worcestershire sauce to create a parade, but not so much that it is overworked and becomes dense. I should also add that I prefer to get my ground beef from the butcher for this recipe rather than to buy those square plastic containers of pre-packaged ground beef, as the beef is usually super compacted in those.
Now in terms of cooking the meatloaf, you can use a standard nine-inch by five-inch loaf pan. It is super easy that way, but I prefer to free-form the loaf and cook it on a rimmed baking sheet or casserole pan. In addition, the reason why, well, I will get to that in just a second.
Form the meatloaf in a casserole pan
Use your hands to form it into a loaf by transferring your meatloaf to the pan
About nine inches long by five inches wide. It really does not have to be perfect. You can just eyeball it. Though if you want to break out the ruler to confirm, by all means, go for it. Then the last thing to do is to make the sauce or glaze that goes on top. Some people love straight up ketchup on its own, but I like to add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce again as it enhances the beef so beautifully,
However, you could always sub in steak sauce as well. Then one tablespoon of coconut sugar or brown sugar for a little sweetness. Stir that all together and then pour it on top of the meatloaf.
Use a pastry brush or silicone brush
Spread the glaze thoroughly across the entire surface of the meatloaf, extending it down to coat the sides as well. In addition, this right here, my friends, is why I prefer to form the meatloaf rather than to use a loaf pan because you do get glaze down. I should also note that some people prefer
To put the glaze on in the last 15 minutes of cooking, but I prefer to put it on right now at the beginning because then I do not have to try to brush it on while the oven door is open and create a mess. In addition, I feel like it just keeps the meatloaf moister while cooking, though I do not really have any scientific proof of that.
Cook the meatloaf in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit ovens
For about 50 to 60 minutes, Cook the meatloaf, then let it rest. On the other hand, until an instant-read thermometer reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. I just love how the glaze baked on top. Moreover, you can see that there is some fat oozing from the meatloaf and that is to be expected. Cut the meatloaf into slices, plate it alongside creamy mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli. After its rested, you can go ahead and evenly slice it up, though my second slice here was not so even, it was more like a portion and a half for one very hungry belly, but you get the idea.
Oh, and I almost it up with some of that leftover chopped parsley. As I pan through some beauty shots here, you can see that the inside of the meatloaf is not overly dense, but it still holds together perfectly. Moreover, I love that these slices are great for meal prep and storing, which I will tell you about after my taste test.
Meatloaf is one of those recipes that is just so comforting and especially on cold winter days, and it reminds me of my childhood when my mom used to serve it up over mashed potatoes. So let us go ahead and do that now. Add a few dollops of mashed potatoes to a plate. Alternatively, you could swap in mashed sweet potato or mashed cauliflower for a lighter option.
For greens, I have some broccoli today, though you could add any variety of veggie that you love. This rather reminds me of those frozen Hungry Man dinners.
Taste test, storage, and tips.
I am ready to dig in. In addition, this is definitely a portion for a hungry belly,
In addition, it is a good thing I am hungry. The inside is perfectly moist. It has some texture from the onion and the parsley and the oats, so it has not really compacted, it is nice and light, and you do not want your meatloaf really dense and compacted. Therefore, this is perfect. In addition, it has a lot of the delicious flavor on the inside. In addition, the glaze, the glaze just adds that tomatoes, ketchup, but with a new umami flair and it’s sweet. The whole thing, it is just perfect. Now as I mentioned at the beginning.
There are so many different ways you can make meatloaf, and I had a lot of meatloafs as a child because it was just easy to make, to serve up with kids. In addition, my mom would actually serve it with some grape jelly on top, though I have to say, the tomato glaze, ketchup glaze topping is classic.
Storage.
This will last for about three to four days in the fridge, or you can freeze it for up to three months. In addition, what I like to do is completely slice up the meatloaf and then add it to a storage container, so that when I want to thaw it from the freezer, I can take out an individual slice, move it to the refrigerator
Where I will let it thaw overnight, and then it is as simple as reheating that piece with whatever sides I want to serve it. I hope you people enjoy today’s video, and if you did, and do make sure to tag me when you make this recipe