The Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever
This is it. The recipe that ends your search for meatloaf perfection. But here's the thing, it's not just about following directions like a robot. It's about understanding what makes each ingredient essential and why some ingredients can completely ruin everything.
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf:
- 2 lbs ground beef 80-85% lean - this ratio is crucial, trust me on this
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Don't skip preheating, it matters more than you think it does.
- Prepare the panade: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and ketchup. Add Panko breadcrumbs and let soak for 5 minutes. This step is magic. Seriously, don't rush it.
- Add aromatics: Stir in chopped onion, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Your kitchen should smell amazing right about now.
- Incorporate meat: Add ground beef to the mixture. Using your hands or a fork, gently combine until just mixed. Do not overmix. This is where most people mess everything up.
- Shape: Form mixture into a loaf shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet or place in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Both work great but there's differences we'll talk about later.
- Make glaze: Whisk together all glaze ingredients. Brush half over the meatloaf. Save the rest, you'll need it.
- Bake: Cook for 45-60 minutes, applying remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Use a thermometer here. Guessing is for amateurs.
- Rest: Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing. I know it's hard to wait but this step separates good meatloaf from great meatloaf.