Meatloaf

Classic American Meatloaf

A staple of mid-century American supper tables, this ketchup-glazed meatloaf is the kind of unfussy comfort food that turns a Wednesday night into something to look forward to. Sliced thick and served with mashed potatoes, it is the dish many Americans remember from childhood.

Prep

15 min

Cook

65 min

Total

80 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) ground beef (80/20 chuck), 20% fat content is essential for a moist loaf; leaner blends dry out
• •150 g (1½ cups) plain dried breadcrumbs, soft, not panko
• •240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• •1 whole (1 medium) yellow onion, finely diced, about 150 g / 5 oz
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• •30 g (¼ cup) ketchup, for the mixture
• •10 g (2 tsp) Dijon mustard
• •10 g (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
• •8 g (1½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •3 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •120 g (½ cup) ketchup, for the glaze
• •15 g (1 tbsp) brown sugar, light or dark, for the glaze
• •5 g (1 tsp) white vinegar, for the glaze

Steps

1. 1 Heat the oven to 175 °C / 350 °F with a rack in the middle position. Lightly grease a 23 × 13 cm / 9 × 5 in loaf pan, or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. 2 Soften the breadcrumbs: in a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let stand 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the liquid.
3. 3 Sweat the onion: in a small skillet over medium heat, cook the diced onion with a pinch of salt in 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil until translucent and just turning golden, about 6 minutes. Cool briefly. Pre-cooking the onion is traditional and prevents raw pockets in the finished loaf.
4. 4 Make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together 120 g ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
5. 5 To the breadcrumb mixture, add the ground beef, cooled onion, eggs, 30 g ketchup, Dijon, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined — overmixing makes a dense, tough loaf.
6. 6 Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan (or shape into a free-form loaf about 20 × 10 cm / 8 × 4 in on the baking sheet). Pat gently to even it out without compacting.
7. 7 Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides, returning to the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes.
8. 8 Check doneness: insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf — it must read 71 °C / 160 °F for ground beef. The glaze should be caramelized and slightly charred at the edges.
9. 9 Rest the meatloaf in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing. This lets the juices redistribute so the slices hold together; cut with a serrated knife and serve hot.