Equipment
Ingredients
Meatloaf Base
- 900 g ground beef
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 80 ml whole milk
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Sticky Glaze
- 120 g ketchup
- 25 g light brown sugar, packed
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 2 g onion powder
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 391 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1070 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 63 mg
- Potassium
- 578 mg
- Calcium
- 67 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 319 mg
- Zinc
- 6.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 130 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 27 mcg
- Water
- 55 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk and panko breadcrumbs. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the breadcrumbs, creating a panade.
To the hydrated breadcrumbs, add the eggs, finely diced yellow onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, and chopped parsley. Whisk the mixture until uniformly combined.
Add the ground beef to the large mixing bowl. Using your hands, gently mix the meat into the wet ingredients just until incorporated. Be extremely careful not to overwork or squeeze the meat, which can cause a tough texture.
Transfer the seasoned meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Using your hands, shape it into a freestanding rectangular loaf, roughly 22 by 12 centimeters.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and onion powder until smooth to create the glaze.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top and sides of the shaped meatloaf with exactly half of the ketchup glaze.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatloaf undisturbed for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. Brush the remaining glaze evenly over the exterior of the loaf.
Return the meatloaf to the oven. Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the exact center registers an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the meatloaf to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to allow the interior juices to redistribute and the structure to firm up.
Carefully transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board, slice into thick portions using a chef's knife, and serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Using an 80/20 ground beef ratio is non-negotiable for a superior meatloaf. Leaner meats like 90/10 will dry out completely during the long baking process.
- Baking the meatloaf freeform on a flat sheet pan rather than trapped inside a loaf pan allows the exterior to properly caramelize and prevents the meat from steaming in its own rendered fat.
- The panade, which is the mixture of milk and breadcrumbs, acts as a sponge that holds onto moisture and keeps the beef tender. Never skip the 5 minute hydration step.
- For the absolute best texture, treat the raw mixture gently. Compacting the meat forcefully removes air pockets, leading to a brick-like consistency.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Microwave individual slices on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or heat in a 175 C oven covered with foil for 15 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Meatloaf is tough, dense, and heavy.
Cause: Overmixing the ground beef or packing the loaf too tightly during shaping.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Serve with extra pan gravy or beef broth to artificially add moisture.
Prevention: Mix gently with your fingertips just until the ingredients are distributed, and form the loaf with a light touch.
Meatloaf crumbles and falls apart when sliced.
Cause: Not enough binding agents, or slicing the meatloaf while it is still too hot.
Fix: Allow the loaf to cool for another 10 minutes before attempting to slice again. If it continues to break, serve the crumbles over mashed potatoes.
Prevention: Ensure accurate measurements of eggs and breadcrumbs, and always enforce a 10 minute resting period before cutting.
Grease pools heavily around the base of the meatloaf.
Cause: Using ground beef with a fat content higher than 20 percent.
Fix: Carefully use a spatula to transfer the finished meatloaf to a clean serving platter, leaving the rendered fat behind on the baking sheet.
Prevention: Stick to an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio for the perfect balance of moisture without excessive rendering.
Cultural Context
Meatloaf became a deeply ingrained staple of American home cooking during the Great Depression and World War II, as it offered a clever, economical way to stretch expensive proteins using inexpensive fillers like breadcrumbs or rolled oats. Over the decades, it evolved from a necessity of rationing into a beloved culinary icon of nostalgic comfort food, traditionally served alongside buttery mashed potatoes and green beans.
