Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Base and Binder
- 120 ml whole milk
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 g dried thyme
Meat Blend
- 500 g ground beef
- 250 g ground veal
- 250 g ground pork
Glaze
- 120 ml ketchup
- 30 g brown sugar, packed
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 416 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 846 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 134 mg
- Potassium
- 450 mg
- Calcium
- 78 mg
- Iron
- 3.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 38 mg
- Phosphorus
- 278 mg
- Zinc
- 4.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 111 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.39 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 6.3 mg
- Folate
- 26 mcg
- Water
- 124 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Melt the unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced yellow onion and minced garlic, sautéing until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the aromatics to cool completely to room temperature. This is essential for safety, preventing the raw meat from warming to a dangerous temperature during mixing.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk and panko breadcrumbs. Let sit for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the starches and create a panade.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and the cooled onion mixture to the panade. Whisk until fully homogenous.
Add the ground beef, ground veal, and ground pork to the bowl. Mix gently with clean hands just until the ingredients are evenly distributed, being careful not to overwork the meat. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Shape it gently into a freestanding rectangular loaf measuring approximately 22 centimeters by 12 centimeters.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar to create the sweet and tangy glaze.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatloaf for 45 minutes to begin cooking and setting the structure.
Carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. Using a pastry brush, generously and evenly coat the top and sides of the meatloaf with the prepared glaze.
Return the glazed meatloaf to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the exact center registers an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest undisturbed on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute.
Chef's Notes
- Baking your meatloaf freeform on a flat baking sheet rather than constrained in a loaf pan creates a beautiful caramelized crust on all sides and prevents the meat from boiling in its own rendered fat.
- The panade, a hydrated mixture of milk and breadcrumbs, is crucial for moisture retention. The starches swell and gel during cooking, physically lubricating the meat proteins and preventing them from tightening into a tough brick.
- Using a classic three-meat blend provides the ultimate balance. Beef brings robust savory flavor, pork adds necessary fat for richness, and veal contributes natural gelatin for a tender, silken texture.
- Always allow your sautéed aromatics to cool completely before incorporating them into raw meat. Adding hot onions can prematurely melt the fat and raise the raw meat to unsafe temperatures.
- To test the seasoning before committing to the whole loaf, pinch off a tablespoon of the raw meat mixture and fry it in a skillet until fully cooked. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper in the main batch if necessary.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze individual slices separated by parchment paper, or freeze the whole baked loaf tightly wrapped in heavy-duty foil.
Reheating: Pan-fry individual slices in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, or microwave covered with a damp paper towel until steaming.
Troubleshooting
Meatloaf is dense, tough, or rubbery
Cause: Overmixing the meat blend, causing proteins to tightly cross-link, or skipping the hydration of the panade
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but slicing the meatloaf very thinly and serving with a rich gravy helps mitigate textural density.
Prevention: Mix the meat blend gently with your hands just until the ingredients are dispersed. Do not knead or squeeze aggressively.
Meatloaf crumbles and falls apart when slicing
Cause: Insufficient resting time before cutting, or incorrect ratio of binders to meat
Fix: Allow the loaf to cool completely to room temperature to solidify the fats and binders, then slice carefully with a serrated knife.
Prevention: Ensure accurate measurement of eggs and breadcrumbs, and always enforce a strict 10-minute rest before taking a knife to the loaf.
Base of the meatloaf is greasy and pale
Cause: Baking in a high-sided loaf pan, which traps rendering fat and steam around the meat
Fix: Transfer the finished loaf to a clean tray and briefly broil the sides, or sear individual slices in a skillet before serving.
Prevention: Always bake meatloaf freeform on a flat rimmed baking sheet to allow excess fat to drain away and promote a roasted crust.
Cultural Context
Meatloaf is a quintessential American comfort food with ancestral roots extending back to ancient Rome. Popularized in the United States during the Great Depression as an economical way to stretch expensive proteins with starches and aromatic vegetables, it has since evolved into a beloved culinary canvas. Today, a classic glazed meatloaf evokes powerful nostalgia, frequently serving as the hearty, grounding centerpiece for Sunday dinners and winter holiday gatherings.
