Best 6 Never Fail Meatloaf Recipes

TRADITIONAL MEATLOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with foil, preferably nonstick foil.
• In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the milk, egg, and Worcestershire and mix once more.
• Add the ground beef and minced onion and mix with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and shape into a narrow loaf (the meatloaf will spread as it bakes).
• To make the topping, combine ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
• Pour half of the sauce mixture over the meatloaf and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully pour over the remaining sauce, and bake an additional 30-35 minutes.
• Allow the meatloaf to rest about 15 minutes before slicing into. Serve and enjoy!

THE BEST MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Whisk the eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until completely combined. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and lightly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add 3 tablespoons of the ketchup and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is thick and brick red colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the onions cool slightly. Then add them to the beaten eggs and mix to combine.
• Add the beef to the egg and onion mixture. Break up the meat with a fork or wooden spoon, and then mix to thoroughly combine; you don't want to see any lumps of raw beef. Add the panko and mix to combine. Stir the meat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 7 seconds; it will become more homogenous and tackier.
• Transfer the meat to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 9-by-5-inch loaf. Smooth the top and evenly spread the remaining ketchup over top. Bake for 5 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 150 degrees F, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the meatloaf to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

NEVER FAILS ME MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375. Wash hands.
• Pulse the crackers or oats in a food processor a couple of times. You don't want to see whole oats in the end.
• In a clean bowl, mix all ingredients except meat and oats (or crackers) well. Then add ground meat and mix only as much as is needed to incorporate all ingredients. Try not to overmix because this tends to make your meatloaf mixture more dense than is necessary. Mixing gently with your hands, mix in the oats or crackers until mixture is no longer runnuy. If it is, add more crushed crackers, oatmeal and/or pasta, remembering that the pasta will absorb excess liquid only as it cooks. Important: when right, the mixture should retain a shape made by your hand. If you don't get this part right, your meatloaf will not retain its shape when cooked. If you get the mix right, it will cut nicely and likely lose a crumble or two when transfering from the pan to plate. For that reason, I do this in mini muffin pans too and they come out just right, not crumbling.
• Put mixture into a loaf pan. Pat lightly to smooth out top of loaf. Cover loaf pan with foil and put in oven. Prepare topping by mixing ketchup with the 1 tsp of brown sugar and set aside.
• After 45 minutes, carefully pour off excess grease (place something on top of loaf so it doesn't fall OR use a turkey baster to suck out the juices) and thn spread topping over meatloaf. Put back in oven, uncovered. Cook for 5 more minutes and check to see if loaf is done by using a thermometer reading. If not done, check every five minutes until done. It is done and safe to eat at 160 degrees, but you can take it out at 152 and let it rest for five minutes and the temp will rise to a safe temperature.
• I do not trust the "it's done if it aint pink no more" method because ground meat products can both look brown long before they are safe to eat and look pink long after they are actually done. A thermometer is just easier to use and safer too. So, you use your own judgment on cook time. I pulled mine out of the oven after 52 minutes of cook time and it was 161 degrees and DELICIOUS.
• If you are making mini muffins, start your initial cook time at 30 minutes and keep checking with your temp till the center of the muffins reach at least 155. Also, you still have to remove the excess grease from the pans during cooking. For that reason, when making meatloaf muffins, I put a baking sheet under the pan to catch drips.
• A word of warning: This recipe is not friendly to subbing out the pasta or the lean ground meat. If you omit the pasta, the loaf will not be moist and hold its flavor. If you use higher fat ground meat, your pasta will be cooked in grease and the loaf will be mis-shapen, swimming in grease and unappetizing. Believe me, I know -- I've tried both. When you have both ingredients, just try it as it's written and most of all:.
• Enjoy.

MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Gently mound the meat mixture into a metal 9x5 loaf pan. Top loaf with 4 strips of bacon. Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

OUR FAVORITE MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or 13x9" shallow baking dish with foil. Soak breadcrumbs in milk in a large bowl until ready to use.
• Pulse onion, celery, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. (Alternatively, you can finely chop by hand.)
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion mixture, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in Worcestershire, and scrape into bowl with breadcrumb mixture. Add beef, pork, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper, then mix with your hands to combine.
• Form meatloaf mixture into a long, well-packed, approximately 5"-wide loaf shape on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of loaf with 1/4 cup ketchup. Bake meatloaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°F, 60-75 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with more ketchup alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Meatloaf can be made 3 days ahead; wrap in foil and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.

NEVER-FAIL MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly, using your hands. If you prefer to use a spoon, beat the eggs slightly before adding.
• Pack into a standard loaf or form a loaf on a baking sheet.
• Top the loaf with the bacon slices.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 1 hour or until done.
• Variations:.
• Replace the corn flake crumbs with any other dry cereal, cooked rice, uncooked rolled oats, or cracker crumbs. Increase the measure to 1/2 cup when using soft bread crumbs.
• Replace the sage with your favorite dry herb or herb mixture. When using fresh herbs increase the measure to 1 tablespoon.
• Add minced garlic when making meatballs.