Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetable Aromatics
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 100 g carrot, finely diced or grated
- 75 g celery, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 2 g fresh thyme, finely chopped
Panade & Flavorings
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 120 ml whole milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 60 g ketchup
- 30 ml worcestershire sauce
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Meat & Topping
- 700 g ground beef, 80/20 lean to fat ratio
- 300 g ground pork
- 150 g bacon, thin cut slices
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 482 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1079 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 137 mg
- Potassium
- 574 mg
- Calcium
- 87 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 288 mg
- Zinc
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 173 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.25 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.45 mg
- Niacin
- 7.5 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 152 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme to the skillet. Cook for 1 more minute until fragrant, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the panko breadcrumbs, whole milk, beaten eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquids, forming a panade.
Add the ground beef, ground pork, and the cooled vegetable mixture to the bowl with the panade. Using your hands, gently fold and mix the ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to compress the meat tightly.
Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Using your hands, shape it into a free-form loaf approximately 23 centimeters long and 12 centimeters wide.
Lay the strips of bacon diagonally across the top of the meatloaf, overlapping slightly if necessary, and tuck the ends of the bacon underneath the loaf to secure them.
Bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes. The meatloaf is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest center part reads 71 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fahrenheit), and the bacon is rendered and crispy.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Let it rest on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the slices intact.
Chef's Notes
- Baking the meatloaf free-form on a baking sheet rather than in a loaf pan allows the exterior to caramelize and ensures the bacon topping crisps perfectly instead of steaming in its own fat.
- Always allow your sauteed vegetables to cool before mixing them into raw meat. Hot vegetables can melt the fat in the ground meat and begin cooking the proteins, resulting in a greasy, crumbly texture.
- A wet panade (the mixture of breadcrumbs, milk, and eggs) is the secret to a moist meatloaf. It creates a gel that coats the meat proteins, preventing them from shrinking tightly and squeezing out juices during baking.
- Do not substitute extra lean ground beef (like 95/5) for this recipe. The fat content in 80/20 beef combined with the pork is essential for a tender, flavorful loaf.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavor often deepens by the second day.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in foil and then in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Slice and sear in a skillet with a tiny bit of oil for a crispy crust, or microwave in 30-second bursts until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Meatloaf is dry or crumbly
Cause: The meat was too lean, or the meat was overmixed, squeezing out moisture.
Fix: Serve with a rich gravy or extra sauce to add moisture.
Prevention: Use 80/20 ground beef and do not over-knead the mixture. Ensure the panade is fully hydrated before adding the meat.
Bacon on top is flabby and not crispy
Cause: Oven temperature dropped or bacon was cut too thick.
Fix: Broil the meatloaf for the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, watching carefully so it does not burn.
Prevention: Use standard thin-cut bacon rather than thick-cut.
Meatloaf falls apart when slicing
Cause: The meatloaf did not rest long enough after baking.
Fix: Cut thicker slices very carefully using a sharp, serrated knife.
Prevention: Always let the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Cultural Context
Meatloaf has roots tracing back to ancient Roman minced meat dishes, but it became an American dietary staple during the Great Depression. Home cooks relied on stretching expensive meat with inexpensive fillers like breadcrumbs and vegetables, unintentionally creating a comfort food classic that has endured for generations.
