Best 7 Basic Meatloaf Recipes

BASIC MEATLOAF WITH KETCHUP GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix ground beef, onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.
• Mix in bread, milk, egg, 1 tbsp mustard, and 1/4 cup ketchup.
• Press mixture into a loaf and put in baking dish.
• In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp mustard, 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Pour on top of the meat loaf within the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.
• Bake for about an hour until it's cooked through.

BASIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In large bowl, combine all ingredients together (except the topping) using your hands to mix and combine is the best way.
• Spread the meat mixture into an ungreased loaf pan, 9 X 5 X 3-inches or shape into a loaf in an ungreased baking pan.
• Spoon topping choice onto the loaf and bake, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until done.
• Drain off the excess fat and allow the loaf to sit about 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or slicing because it will fall apart.
• Slice loaf into serving sizes and serve on heated platter.
• POTATO-TOPPED MEAT LOAF: For four 1/2-inch slices of meat loaf, prepare some instant mashed potatoes, enough for 4 servings, as directed on the package and set aside. Set the oven control at broil/or 550 degrees F. Broil the slices with the tops 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes. Spread the potatoes on the slices and sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes and serve hot.
• SOUPED-UP MEAT LOAF: For four 1/2-inch slices of meat loaf, mix 1/2 to 1 can of your favorite condensed cream soup, such as cream of mushroom, (10 3/4 oz size) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk in a skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and place the slices in the skilled, turning to coat all sides with the sauce. Cover and simmer until the meat is hot, 10 to 15 minutes and serve.

OLD-FASHIONED MEAT LOAF - AKA 'BASIC' MEATLOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all meat loaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf. Topping: Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour. This recipe yields 4 servings.

NOT-SO-BASIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Place the bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the bacon for about 5 minutes, or until it has begun to crisp and most of the fat has rendered out. Add the garlic, onion, and carrot and continue to sauté for about 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent but have not taken on any color. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the vegetables to cool (see Note).
• Place the ground sirloin into a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and milk and, using your hands, work the liquid into the meat. Add the bread crumbs and continue to work the liquid and crumbs into the meat. Add the cooled vegetables, mustard, barbecue sauce, and horseradish along with 1/4 cup of the parsley, salt, pepper, and thyme. Using your hands, gently work all of the ingredients into the meat until well combined.
• Place one-half of the croutons into a shallow baking dish at least 14 inches long.
• Transfer the meatloaf mixture onto a clean, flat surface and, again, using your hands, shape it into a loaf about 3 1/4 inches wide X 2 1/2 inches high X 12 inches long (or into a round, breadlike form, a letter of the alphabet, an oval, or into several small loaves). Press the remaining croutons into the loaf, making sure that they are partially pressed down into it.
• Gently press the unpeeled garlic cloves into the top of the meatloaf. Carefully lay the loaf on top of the croutons in the baking dish (you might need to use a couple of spatulas to facilitate this), reforming the shape with your hands, if necessary. Pierce the meatloaf with the bay leaves and thyme sprig. Place the meatloaf in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the top is nicely browned.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Allow the meatloaf to rest for about 5 minutes before transferring it to a serving platter. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprig and sprinkle the remaining parsley over the top of the loaf and around the platter. Cut crosswise into 1-inch, or thicker, slices and serve.

BASIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix the vegetables with the bread crumbs or other filler. Mix these ingredients thoroughly with the meat. Mix in the egg.
• Add the seasonings, taking care not to underseason the mixture. If you do not want to taste the mixture raw to check the seasonings, cook a spoonful of it in a nonstick pan for a few minutes until it loses its redness, allow it to cool slightly, then taste.
• Shape mixture into a loaf and place in shallow baking dish or pack ina four-cup loaf pan. Bake 90 minutes. Serve hot or cooled.

BASIC TRUSTWORTHY MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for optional barbecue sauce (it really is easiest to use your hands).
• Pack into prepared loaf pan, and spread barbecue sauce over top (ketchup can be substituted for barbecue sauce, or you can just omit it).
• Bake until cooked through, at least one hour (I like to do it for 1 hr 15 mins, and it can even go as long as 90 minutes).
• Drain off fat in pan, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

BETTY CROCKER'S BASIC MEATLOAF RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Break up the beef into small pieces in a large bowl, using a fork or spoon. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the onion, and chop enough of the onion into small pieces to measure 3 tbsp. Wrap remaining piece of onion, and refrigerate for another use. add the garlic and onion to the beef. Tear the bread into small and add to beef mixture. Add the milk, Worcestershire sauce, sage, salt, mustard, pepper, and egg to the beef mixture. Mix with a fork, large spoon or your hands until the ingredients are well mixed. Place the bee mixture in the ungreased baking pan. Almost any size pan with work; just be sure the pan has sides on it to catch the juices that will accumulate while the meatloaf bakes. Shape the mixture into an 8x4-inch loaf in the pan, and spread ketchup over the top. Bake uncovered 50-60 minutes or until beef in center of the loaf is no longer pink. A meat thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf should read 160 degrees. Let the loaf stand 5 minutes, so it will be easier to remove from the pan. cut the loaf into slices.