AmericanClassic meatloaf
Meatloaf: the glazed beef loaf of American diners and Sunday suppers, sliced thick with mashed potatoes
Meatloaf is the Midwest's great weeknight and Sunday-supper dish, served in Ohio and Iowa farmhouse kitchens and in diners from Chicago to Cleveland, always with mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy or ketchup. This version uses beef mince softened with milk-soaked bread and grated onion, baked free-form on a tray so every side gets a sticky, tangy ketchup and brown-sugar glaze. The common mistake is packing the mixture hard in a deep tin: it steams, sits in its own fat and turns dense and rubbery. Mix lightly with your fingertips, shape it loosely on a lined tray and bake until the centre reads 71 °C on a thermometer; the juices run clear and the slices hold together after a 10-minute rest. Leftovers make the best cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day. Chef's tip: brush on half the glaze at the start and the rest for the last 15 minutes, so you get a deep caramelised layer under a glossy fresh one.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 390 kcal
Ingredients
For the meatloaf
- 2 white breadslices, crusts removed, torn
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 lb beef mince15–20% fat
- 1 oniongrated
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 eggsbeaten
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 3 tbsp fresh parsleychopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the glaze
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2: Soak 2 white bread in ¼ cup whole milk in a large bowl for 5 minutes, then mash it to a paste with a fork.
5 minStep 3: Add 2 lb beef mince, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 3 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your fingertips just until evenly combined; overmixing makes the loaf tough.
Step 4: Tip onto the tray and shape into a loose loaf about 23 × 12 cm and 6 cm high. Pat the top flat.
Step 5: Stir ½ cup tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp light brown sugar and 1 tbsp cider vinegar together. Spread half over the top and sides of the loaf.
Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes, then spread the rest of the glaze over it.
45 minStep 7: Bake for 15–20 minutes more, until the glaze is sticky and dark at the edges and a thermometer in the centre reads 160°F. The juices should run clear, not pink.
18 minStep 8: Rest for 10 minutes so the slices hold together, then cut into thick slices and serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does classic meatloaf take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 65 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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