The Perfect Meatloaf

I have always, always loved meatloaf. I remember being a kid and being excited when this was on the dinner menu. I always liked mine with mashed potatoes on the side and some BBQ sauce for dipping. Meatloaf was a standard meal in the Midwest where I grew up, but I was shocked to find that some of my friends in Washington had never had it or had it and didn’t like it. Look no further than this perfect meatloaf recipe. Meatloaf can be bland or dry, so the key is to season it well, not overwork the mixture, and add a glaze on top. Growing up I don’t remember having a glaze on our meatloaf, hence the dipping sauce on the side, but I love to brush some of the glaze over the meatloaf and have a little extra on the side to make sure that every bite has some of that flavor. I love this recipe, and it’s so nostalgic for me.

Ingredients for The Perfect Meatloaf

• Ground turkey: I like using a mix of ground turkey and ground beef in this recipe. It keeps this recipe more budget friendly and leaner.
• Ground beef: Having a mixture of both ground turkey and ground beef is perfect to me because of the moisture and flavor it provides.
• Apple cider vinegar: The glaze is a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and BBQ sauce. It’s the absolutely perfect glaze and I like to serve a little extra on the side to make sure every bite of this meatloaf has some glaze.
• Ketchup and BBQ sauce: Both glaze ingredients! I find that all ketchup or all BBQ sauce doesn’t give me quite what I want. But this combination is perfect.
• Onion: Either finely chop or grate the onion with a box grader. You can use a food processor for this as well. We don’t want large chunks of onion in our meatloaf, we want small bits that impart flavor and moisture.
• Brown sugar: A hint of sweetness in the glaze is great paired with the acidity from the apple cider vinegar.
• Milk: One of the bigger complaints people have about meatloaf is that it’s too dry. Adding the milk to the breadcrumbs forms a mixture called a panade. The starch from the breadcrumbs absorbs the milk and traps it inside, keeping ground meat juicy and soft as opposed to dry. It gets between the meat’s proteins during cooking so they do not squeeze together and tighten, which give rubbery meat. In addition to imparting moisture, it also acts as a binder without making the meatloaf dense.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is gives a great umami flavor to the meatloaf, a perfect combination of sweet, sour, salty, and a little bitter.
• Eggs: Similar to the panade, eggs add moisture and act as a binder.
• Breadcrumbs: I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for extra flavor.
• Seasonings: salt, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, basil, thyme: The more the merrier when it comes to seasoning! A little bit of everything to give you a flavorful meatloaf.

How to Make the Perfect Meatloaf 

• First, combine the milk and breadcrumbs together in a large bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. We are looking to form the panade mixture that I mentioned above for the best texture and moisture
• Once the panade forms, add all the other ingredients: ground turkey, ground beef, grated onion, olive oil, eggs, all seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup (but not all the ketchup! Some is for the glaze). Prepare your baking pan and form the mixture into two even loaves.
• Bake in the oven for 40 minutes while you make the glaze and prepare mashed potatoes to have on the side. Because you HAVE to have mashed potatoes with meatloaf. After the 40 minute mark, brush with the glaze and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
• Serve your meatloaf with some extra glaze and a big scoop of mashed potatoes for the ultimate fall or winter meal.

What to Do with Leftovers? 

• The leftovers reheat well and since this recipe makes two meatloaves, you also have the option of freezing one (without the glaze) to thaw and reheat another time.
• Meatloaf may be an unconventional meal prep, but I’ve personally never been sad eating meatloaf multiple days in a row for lunch. Make it, slice it up, and place in your meal prep containers with some roasted veggies for a protein-packed option that’s truly delicious.