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Classic Meatloaf

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Servings: 4
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
I made meatloaf twice a week for four years on a submarine. That's not an exaggeration — that's just how the meal rotation worked when you're feeding 130 guys underwater and ground beef shows up on ev
Mike

Ingredients  

  • Nothing exotic here. If you've got a grocery store nearby
  • you've got everything on this list
For the meatloaf
  • 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (the fat matters — don't go lean)
  • 2 slices white bread torn into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small yellow onion (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • and a handful of fresh parsley if you've got it
For the glaze
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • The glaze is non-negotiable. It caramelizes in the oven and turns into this sticky
  • sweet-tangy crust that honestly makes the whole thing. My son eats the glaze off the top first like it's frosting on a cake

Method
 

Step 1: Make the panade
  1. Tear the bread into small pieces and put them in a bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Mash it with a fork until it's a smooth paste. This is your insurance policy against dry meatloaf.
Step 2: Mix the meatloaf
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panade, egg, diced onion, garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use your hands — a spoon won't cut it here — and mix until everything is just combined. You'll know it's ready when you don't see streaks of individual ingredients anymore. Stop there.
Step 3: Shape and glaze
  1. Turn the mixture out onto your prepared baking sheet and shape it into a loaf about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide. Don't pack it tight — you want it firm enough to hold its shape, but not compressed like you're making a brick.
  2. I'm a baking sheet guy, not a loaf pan guy. The baking sheet lets the heat circulate around the whole loaf so you get a crust on all sides, and the excess fat drains away instead of pooling around the meat. If you prefer a loaf pan, it'll still work — just know you might need to drain some liquid halfway through.
  3. Mix together the glaze ingredients and spread about half of it over the top of the meatloaf. Save the rest for later.
Step 4: Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes. Pull it out, spread the remaining glaze on top, and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature hits 160°F and the glaze is bubbly and caramelized.
  2. Let it rest for 10 minutes before you slice. I know it's hard to wait when it smells that good, but the juices need time to redistribute. If you cut it right away, all that moisture runs out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.