Meatloaf 101 Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. There are different schools of thought when it comes to baking meat loaf. Some people like using loaf pans. Maybe it's because I often use "cheaper" ground meat, but I find that the grease soaks into the meat loaf too much when I use loaf pans. Instead, I cover a 13 x 9" baking pan with foil and set aside.
• 2. Put the ground meat, eggs, chopped veggies, bread crumbs/oats, worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 of the tomato sauce into a large bowl.
• 3. Mix all ingredients together. Some people try to do this with a large paddle spoon, but I just smoosh it together using one hand, keeping the other hand clean so I can add more bread crumbs, if necessary. The mixture should be firm, so it will stick together while baking, but not stiff.
• 4. While the mixture is still in the bowl, begin shaping it into one or two oblong "loaves."
• 5. Put the loaf or loaves into the prepared baking pan. I like to top the loaf/loaves with the rest of the tomato sauce, leftover green pepper strips, and parmesan cheese. Like this for one loaf...
• 6. ...or maybe this, for two loaves.
• 7. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 75 minutes or so. (I've been known to cut into a meat loaf, if I really can't decide if it's done in the middle. I'm sure there's a rule about NOT doing that, but I'm a rebel that way...)
• 8. Once you decide your meat loaf is done, remove it from the oven & take it out of the pan. (You really don't want it soaking up any grease, you know?) Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• 9. TOMATO GRAVY, anyone? This southern accompaniment is easy to make in the last few minutes of baking the meatloaf. Check it out here: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/sauce-spread-gravy/tomato-gravy.html
• 10. Serve with your favorite side dishes. That would be mashed potatoes & corn, as shown here, or https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/potatoes/helens-cheesy-potatoes.html?p=1 and maybe https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/vegetable/corn-bake.html?p=2. (These recipes can also be found in my personal recipe section.) Now wasn't that easy? =^..^=

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix ground beef with onions and celery. Peel carrot into short strips, chop and add to meat. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add milk, ketchup and spices and blend. Combine wet mixture with meat and mix together.
• Sprinkle oatmeal over meat mixture and gently mix all together until oatmeal is well combined.
• Shape into loaf shape and place in metal loaf pan; drizzle top of loaf with ketchup (I place my ketchup in a small squirt-top dispenser for convenience). Bake for approximately 1 hr 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven, let stand about 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, or form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.