Best 6 All American Decadent Meat Loaf Recipes

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**All-American Decadent Meat Loaf: A Culinary Symphony of Comfort and Indulgence**

In the realm of classic American comfort food, few dishes evoke nostalgia and satisfaction quite like a hearty, juicy meat loaf. This iconic dish has been a staple in family kitchens and dinner tables across the nation for generations, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its irresistible flavors and versatility. In this delectable culinary journey, we present you with not just one, but several sensational meat loaf recipes that capture the essence of this all-American classic while adding unique twists and tantalizing variations. From the traditional to the unexpected, these recipes promise an explosion of flavors that will leave your taste buds dancing and your heart craving more. Whether you prefer a classic meatloaf with its comforting simplicity or are looking to explore bold flavor combinations and creative presentations, this collection has something for every meatloaf enthusiast. Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the rich heritage and endless possibilities of this iconic dish.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

ALL-AMERICAN MEAT LOAF



All-American Meat Loaf image

There are many variations on meat loaf, but my family loves this stick-to-your-ribs version. -Margie Williams, Mount Juliet, Tennessee

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h20m

Yield 2 loaves (8 servings each).

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup 2% milk
6 slices bread, cubed
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-1/4 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 pound ground pork
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Steps:

  • Saute green pepper and onion in oil in a large skillet until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature., Preheat oven to 350°. Add eggs, milk, bread, cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper to sauteed vegetables. Crumble beef and pork over mixture and mix well., Pat into 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Combine ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Spread over tops. , Bake, uncovered, 50-55 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Freeze option: Shape meat loaves in plastic wrap-lined loaf pans; top with ketchup mixture. Cover and freeze until firm. Remove from pan and wrap securely in foil; return to freezer. Freeze up to 3 months. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap meat loaf and place in pan. Bake, uncovered, 1-1/4-1-1/2 hours, or until a thermometer reads 160°.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 286 calories, Fat 14g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 89mg cholesterol, Sodium 765mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 21g protein.

ALL-AMERICAN MEATLOAF



All-American Meatloaf image

The only thing better than a hearty meatloaf dinner is the sandwich you can make with the leftovers.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Beef Recipes     Ground Beef Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 19

3 slices white bread
1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 celery, strings peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons ketchup
4 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground veal
8 ounces ground round
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more needles for sprinkling
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch-thick rings

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove crusts from bread, and place slices in the bowl of a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds. Transfer breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Do not substitute dried breadcrumbs in this step, as they will make your meatloaf rubbery.
  • Place carrot, celery, yellow onion, garlic, and parsley in the bowl of the food processor. Process until vegetables have been minced, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. (Chopping vegetables this way saves time and ensures that vegetables will be small enough to cook through and not be crunchy). Transfer vegetables to bowl with the breadcrumbs.
  • Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, pork, veal, beef, eggs, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and rosemary. Using your hands, knead the ingredients until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. The texture should be wet, but tight enough to hold a free-form shape.
  • Set a wire baking rack into an 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Cut a 5-by-11-inch piece of parchment paper, and place over center of rack to prevent meat loaf from falling through. Using your hands, form an elongated loaf covering the parchment.
  • Place the remaining 3 tablespoons ketchup, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons mustard, and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the glaze over loaf. Place oil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. When oil is smoking, add red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and golden in places. Add 3 tablespoons water, and cook, stirring, until most of the water has evaporated. Transfer onion to a bowl to cool slightly, then sprinkle onion over the meatloaf.
  • Bake 30 minutes, then sprinkle rosemary needles on top. Continue baking loaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees. about 25 minutes more. Let meatloaf cool on rack, 15 minutes.

CLASSIC AMERICAN MEATLOAF



Classic American Meatloaf image

Provided by Amy Stevenson

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Steps:

  • To make the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrot and onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, cumin, paprika, and garlic and onion powders. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, heat the ketchup in the microwave until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle the gelatin over the ketchup and whisk to remove clumps. Add to the cooled vegetable mixture, then add the beef, pork, eggs, and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix just to combine. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil and form the meat mixture into a loaf.
  • To make the glaze: In a measuring cup, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire, and mustard. Brush a little glaze on the meatloaf and bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 1 hour 15 minutes, brushing three or four times with the glaze until you've used it all. Let meatloaf rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

ALL AMERICAN MEATLOAF



All American Meatloaf image

I discovered this recipe when I was pregnant with my first child. This is the only meatloaf recipe my family allows me to make still. It can be frozen ahead.

Provided by It's A New Day

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Meatloaf Recipes     Beef Meatloaf Recipes

Time 1h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 pounds ground beef
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 onion, chopped
½ cup milk
2 eggs
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 slices Cheddar cheese, halved

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Mix ground beef, quick oats, onion, milk, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, parsley, garlic, salt, basil, and black pepper together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined; pat the mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  • Bake meatloaf in the preheated oven until firm and no longer pink inside, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat loaf should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
  • Remove from oven, spread 2 tablespoons ketchup over loaf, and top with Cheddar cheese slices; return to oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 5 more minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 344.1 calories, Carbohydrate 12.3 g, Cholesterol 133.6 mg, Fat 20.6 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 26.5 g, SaturatedFat 9.1 g, Sodium 595.4 mg, Sugar 4.1 g

THE FOOD LAB'S ALL-AMERICAN MEATLOAF RECIPE



The Food Lab's All-American Meatloaf Recipe image

Meatloaf that's deeply meaty, moist but not overly juicy, and tender yet firm enough to hold its shape when you spear a bite.

Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt

Categories     Mains

Time 2h40m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 25

1/2 cup (118ml) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup (59ml) buttermilk
1/2 ounce (2 packets; about 1 1/2 tablespoons; 14g) unflavored gelatin
2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into rough pieces
4 ounces (113g) button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned
3 anchovy filets
1/2 teaspoon Marmite
2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon (2g) paprika
2 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 2 teaspoons, 10g)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup; 39g)
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly (about 1/2 cup; 75g)
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup; 50g)
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
12 ounces (340g) freshly ground pork (see note)
1 1/4 pounds (567g) freshly ground beef (see note)
2 large eggs (112g)
4 ounces (114g) cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, or Muenster cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup (15g) finely minced fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Glaze:
3/4 cup (177ml) ketchup
1/4 cup (43g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (118ml) cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Combine the chicken stock and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Set aside.
  • Place the bread and mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
  • Add the anchovies, Marmite, soy sauce, paprika, and garlic to the processor bowl and pulse until reduced to a fine paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
  • Heat the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the chopped vegetable mixture and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until it is softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes; the mixture should start to darken a bit. Stir in the buttermilk mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms and bread, stir thoroughly to combine, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the ground meat to the bowl, along with the eggs, cheese, parsley, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or half that volume in table salt), and 1 teaspoon pepper. With clean hands, mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and homogeneous; it will be fairly loose. Pull off a teaspoon-sized portion of the mixture, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it on high power until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Taste the cooked piece for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as desired.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, being sure that no air bubbles get trapped underneath. (You may have some extra mix, depending on the capacity of your pan; this can be cooked in a ramekin or free-form next to the loaf.) Tear off a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to line a rimmed baking sheet and use it to tightly cover the meatloaf, crimping it around the edges of the pan. Refrigerate the meatloaf while the oven preheats. (The meatloaf can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
  • Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. When the oven is hot, remove the meatloaf from the refrigerator and, without removing the foil cover, carefully invert it onto the rimmed baking sheet. Loosen the foil and spread it out, leaving the pan on top of the meatloaf (see note). Fold up the edges of the foil to trap the liquid that escapes from the meatloaf while baking. Bake until just beginning to set (the top should feel firm to the touch), about 30 minutes.
  • Use a thin metal spatula to lift an edge of the inverted loaf pan, jiggling it until it slides off the meatloaf easily, and use oven mitts or a folded kitchen towel to remove the pan, leaving the meatloaf on the center of the foil. Return to the oven and bake until the center of the meatloaf registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. There will be quite a bit of exuded juices; this is OK. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F.
  • Meanwhile, Make the Glaze: Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and pepper in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Use a brush to apply some glaze to the meatloaf in a thin, even layer, then return it to the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Glaze again and bake for 3 minutes longer. Glaze one more time and bake until the glaze is beginning to bubble and is a deep burnished brown, about 4 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with any extra glaze and mustard or ketchup as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 680 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Cholesterol 225 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 53 g, SaturatedFat 17 g, Sodium 1572 mg, Sugar 17 g, Fat 40 g, ServingSize Serves 4 to 6, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

CROCK POT ALL AMERICAN MEATLOAF



Crock Pot All American Meatloaf image

Make and share this Crock Pot All American Meatloaf recipe from Food.com.

Provided by BeckyF

Categories     Meat

Time 8h25m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
8 slices cheddar cheese or 8 slices American cheese, cut into 16 strips
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Steps:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except the cheese and tomato paste.
  • Shape half of the meat mixture into a loaf.
  • Arrange 8 cheese strips on the meat, and top with the remaining meat, pressing the edges together to make a seal.
  • Place in the Crock-Pot.
  • Top with the tomato paste and the remaining cheese slices.
  • Cover; cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours on Low or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 566.4, Fat 27.5, SaturatedFat 13.5, Cholesterol 183.4, Sodium 1469.5, Carbohydrate 39.1, Fiber 2.3, Sugar 12.9, Protein 40

Tips:

  • Choose the right ground beef. Use a combination of ground chuck and ground sirloin for a flavorful and juicy meatloaf.
  • Don't overmix the meatloaf mixture. Overmixing will make the meatloaf tough.
  • Add plenty of moisture. Use ingredients like bread crumbs, eggs, and milk to help keep the meatloaf moist.
  • Season the meatloaf liberally. Use a variety of herbs and spices to give the meatloaf flavor.
  • Cook the meatloaf at a low temperature. This will help to prevent the meatloaf from drying out.
  • Let the meatloaf rest before slicing. This will help to keep the juices in the meatloaf.

Conclusion:

Meatloaf is a classic American comfort food that is easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a few simple tips, you can make a delicious and decadent meatloaf that will be the star of your next meal. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give this All-American Decadent Meatloaf recipe a try.

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