In my house, when I announce that we are having Meatloaf for dinner, I am met with a hearty round of “YES!” and “YUM!!!”
Homemade meatloaf is one of those dishes that often gets mixed reviews. People seem to either love it or hate it. But might I suggest, that if you hate it because the meatloaf that you have had is dry and flavorless – give this one a try.
Not only is this meatloaf filled with wonderful flavor, but below you will also find tips for keeping your meatloaf tender and juicy. When I say my family cheers for this dish, I am not exaggerating.
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How I Make this Recipe:
How to Make Moist Meatloaf
One of the biggest complaints I have seen, is that meatloaf is dry.
First of all, when you are mixing together your ingredients, do not over-mix. Over-mixing any kind of ground meat mixture, whether meatloaf or meatballs, will cause your meatloaf to become tough and dry. You want your ingredients to be just mixed.
Second, if you bake it until it is no longer pink, you are actually overcooking your meatloaf. There is an enzyme in onions that causes meat to stay pink, even when it is fully cooked. After it is exposed to the air, it will gradually become more brown.
Cooking your onions first reduces this effect a little, as well as provides more flavor to the meatloaf. But use a thermometer to check if your meatloaf is done. Trust your meat thermometer! Meatloaf is done when it reaches 160 degrees, but should be no more than 170.
Following these tips, your meatloaf will be tender, juicy and full of flavor!
After the meatloaf is done, allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Can I Make this with other Meats?
Yes! I have made this with all ground beef, half turkey/half beef, half beef/half bison, half beef/half caribou and even all ground moose meat.
You decide.
Enjoy your meatloaf with some Zucchini Corn Fritters
Did you make and enjoy this recipe or any other recipe on Cosmopolitan Cornbread? Please rate it below and leave a comment to share your thoughts! I would also love for you to share it on Instagram and tag @CosmopolitanCornbread
Classic Meatloaf
In my house, when I announce “Meatloaf for dinner!” I am met with a hearty round of “YES!” and “YUM!!!”
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 Tb butter
- 2 lbs ground beef (or half beef/turkey, beef/pork)
- 1 c fresh (not dry) bread crumbs
- 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 c milk
- 2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
For the topping
- 1/3 c ketchup
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Begin pre-heating oven to 350 degrees.
- In a skillet, sauté the diced onion in the butter until tender and beginning to get golden in color.
- Put the ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt & pepper and the sauteed onions in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and Worcestershire Sauce.
- Pour the liquid into the larger bowl, and combine it all together, mixing with your hands (they’re your best kitchen tool.)
- Scoop the mixture out onto an edged baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Shape the meat into a loaf that is about 5 inches wide, and 2 inches thick.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the topping ingredients.
- Spread the mixture over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for about 1 hour, or until the center reads no more than 170 degrees on a meat thermometer. 160 degrees should be your target temperature.
- Allow it to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 438Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 610mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 36g
Looks delish!!
Thank you!
When do you add the onions to the mixture? They seem to be sauteed then never spoken of again.
They are mixed into the meat mixture.
This is the best looking as well as most delicious looking meatloaf I’ve seen. I will be testing this out on my family.
And I like to add some diced celery along with the onion. And a couple of dashes of Worcestershire Sauce.
Wow I never thought of adding milk although Julia Child added milk to her hamburgers. Next time I will try it with the milk I made one today, I added barbecue sauce.
Looks essy and yummy!, is an hour at 350degres for cooking time?
Looks yummy to me! I sneak in veggies like carrot and zucchini to stretch those abundant army dollars.