Equipment
Ingredients
Panade
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 80 ml whole milk
Aromatics
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Meat and Binders
- 700 g ground beef, 80/20 fat ratio preferred
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 60 ml ketchup
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 10 ml dijon mustard
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Glaze
- 120 ml ketchup
- 30 g light 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
- 457 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1181 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 146 mg
- Potassium
- 489 mg
- Calcium
- 87 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
- Phosphorus
- 264 mg
- Zinc
- 5.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 173 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 5.7 mg
- Folate
- 33 mcg
- Water
- 127 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and whole milk. Stir gently and set aside for 10 minutes to hydrate, forming a panade.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent and softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked panade, cooled onion mixture, lightly beaten eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
Using your hands or a large fork, fold the mixture together until just combined. Do not overmix, as this will result in a dense meatloaf.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Hand-shape it into a rectangular loaf approximately 22cm by 12cm. Shaping on a baking sheet instead of using a loaf pan allows the exterior to caramelize and excess fat to drain away.
In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients: ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Brush half of this glaze evenly over the top and sides of the shaped meatloaf.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190C/375F for 45 minutes.
Remove the meatloaf briefly from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze, and return to bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 74C/165F.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute so the loaf remains moist and slices cleanly.
Chef's Notes
- Sauteing the onions and garlic before adding them to the meat mixture is essential. Raw onions will not fully cook during the baking process and can add a sharp, unpleasant crunch.
- The panade is the secret to a tender meatloaf. It locks in moisture and prevents the meat proteins from binding too tightly to one another.
- For a more complex flavor profile, substitute half of the ground beef with equal parts ground pork and ground veal. This classic meatloaf mix offers the perfect balance of flavor, fat, and tenderness.
- To test the seasoning before committing, pinch off a small piece of the raw meat mixture and cook it quickly in a skillet. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper in the main batch if necessary.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Wrap tightly in foil or store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Can be frozen raw or fully baked. Wrap in plastic wrap and heavy duty foil.
Reheating: Reheat slices in a skillet over medium heat for a crispy edge, or in a 175C/350F oven until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Meatloaf is dense, tough, or dry
Cause: Overmixing the meat, or using ground beef that is too lean
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but serving with extra gravy or sauce will mask the dryness
Prevention: Mix just until ingredients are combined, and use at least 15 to 20 percent fat ground beef
Meatloaf falls apart when sliced
Cause: Not resting long enough after baking, or insufficient binder
Fix: Cut thicker slices using a very sharp serrated knife
Prevention: Always rest the meatloaf for a minimum of 15 minutes before carving
Greasy bottom
Cause: Cooked in a traditional loaf pan where fat cannot escape
Fix: Carefully lift the finished meatloaf off the pan using two large spatulas, leaving the rendered fat behind
Prevention: Bake free-form on a rimmed baking sheet so excess fat drains away from the meat
Cultural Context
Meatloaf has its origins in traditional European dishes that utilized minced meat and scraps, tracing back to the Roman cookery collection Apicius. It became a staple in the United States during the Great Depression, as mixing ground meat with inexpensive fillers like bread or crackers was a practical way to stretch a protein budget. Today, it remains an iconic symbol of American comfort food.
