Cooking a delectable and satisfying meatloaf is an art that requires careful selection of ingredients, precise measurements, and the right cooking techniques. With so many variations and personal preferences, finding the perfect recipe for "dad's favorite meatloaf" can be a daunting task. This article takes the guesswork out of the process by presenting a curated collection of the best meatloaf recipes, each with its unique twist and flavor profile. Whether you prefer classic comfort food or are looking to explore innovative combinations, this comprehensive guide will help you create a meatloaf that will satisfy even the most discerning palate and leave your family and friends craving for more.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
DAD'S FAVORITE BARBECUE MEAT LOAVES
It may sound old-fashioned, but it warms my heart to serve dishes that make my family and friends happy. This recipe does just that, and then some. -Leta Winters, Johnson City, Tennessee
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine egg, stuffing mix, milk, cheese and 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 4x2-in. loaves in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan., Bake until a thermometer reads 160°, 15-20 minutes. Spread with remaining barbecue sauce before serving. Freeze option: Individually wrap cooled meat loaves in plastic and foil, then freeze. To use, partially thaw meat loaves in refrigerator overnight. Unwrap loaves; reheat in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 350° oven until loaves are heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°. Top each with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 305 calories, Fat 16g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 120mg cholesterol, Sodium 449mg sodium, Carbohydrate 15g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 24g protein.
DAD'S AWESOME MEATLOAF
My Dad made this meatloaf at least once a month and it was always my favorite dish. Even my meatloaf hating husband loves it! Sure to be a hit with both the meatloaf lovers and haters alike!
Provided by CoreyAnn
Categories Meat
Time 2h45m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Mix hamburger, bread and juice together until well blended.
- Add eggs, pepper, salt and onion and mix together until well blended.
- Cook in loaf pan for 1 hour at 350°.
- Mix together brown sugar, ketchup and dry mustard.
- Place on top of meatloaf after 1 hour and cook for another 30 minutes.
CLASSIC MEATLOAF RECIPE
This Classic Meatloaf recipe was my dad's claim to fame, at least in our house! It's tender and juicy and has a uniquely delicious flavor. The brown sugar and ketchup glaze just puts this meatloaf over the top!
Provided by Kristin Maxwell
Categories Dinner
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl using your hands, just until combined. Do not overmix - The less you mess with it, the better it will be!
- Shape into a loaf and place into a loaf pan.
- In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Brush about 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then pour remaining sauce over the meatloaf. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes or until meatloaf is completely cooked through. Meat should register between 155 and 160 degrees F.
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 32 g, Fat 27 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Cholesterol 157 mg, Sodium 814 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 14 g, Calories 467 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving
DAD'S - OUR FAVORITE MEATLOAF
A slight variation on Tyler Florence's "Dad's Meatloaf." After my sister raved about it, I tried my hand at it and it was a hit. This is a healthier version with less fat and one less egg yolk.
Provided by Red_Apple_Guy
Categories Veal
Time 1h25m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- For the tomato relish, chop tomatoes, peppers, and onions into a medium dice. Saute over high heat. Finish with ketchup. Lower heat. Reduce to a simmer.
- For the Meatloaf, in a large mixing bowl, using a fork, combine 1/2 cup of the tomato relish, the ground meats, egg and egg white, bread crumbs, garlic and skim milk.
- Finish with olive oil, and then lightly pack into a 9-inch loaf pan.
- Cover with half the remaining relish and place in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until the center of the meat loaf reaches 170 degrees.
- Allow meatloaf to cool 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with additional relish.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 306.2, Fat 15.9, SaturatedFat 5, Cholesterol 88.5, Sodium 329.9, Carbohydrate 21.4, Fiber 4.5, Sugar 9.8, Protein 21.2
DAD'S MEATLOAF WITH TOMATO RELISH
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 1h50m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.
- Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.
- This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 1/2 cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small "hamburger" patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.
- Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise.
- Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it's baking every now and then to insure that the bacon browns evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!
DAD'S CHEESY BACON WRAPPED MEAT LOAF
This is a recipe my dad has been making for years. Great for the cheese and bacon lover-- it's a huge hit with crowds, even kids! And it's a great comfort food!
Provided by Ashley
Categories Main Dish Recipes Meatloaf Recipes Stuffed Meatloaf Recipes
Time 1h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Combine ground beef, eggs and 2 tablespoons of ketchup in a large bowl. Mix well, then add bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and onion. Set mixture aside. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with bacon, widthwise. Place half of the meat mixture across the top of the bacon. Lay 3 of the 4 pieces of Cheddar cheese across the center of the meat, lengthwise. Cover the cheese with the second half of the meat mixture and mold the meat into a loaf shape. Pull the ends of the bacon up and around the loaf. Spread 1 tablespoon of ketchup thinly over the loaf.
- Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from the oven.
- Cut the final piece of Cheddar cheese into slices and place on top of the meat loaf. Return the meat loaf to the oven and continue baking until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the meat loaf to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 588.6 calories, Carbohydrate 17.3 g, Cholesterol 207.1 mg, Fat 37.5 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 43.5 g, SaturatedFat 17.3 g, Sodium 945.7 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
SHEET PAN MEATLOAF
This meatloaf cooks in about 1 hour and has minimal cleanup required. It's perfect for a weeknight meal. Pair with three-ingredient macaroni and cheese, and a vegetable to round out this meal.
Provided by thedailygourmet
Categories Beef Meatloaf
Time 1h10m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, onion, 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl and mix by hand.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Shape meatloaf mixture evenly into a rectangular shape.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Brush with remaining BBQ sauce (or more as needed) and bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees C (73 degrees C), about 15 more minutes.
- Slice meatloaf and serve with extra BBQ sauce if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 465.1 calories, Carbohydrate 20.4 g, Cholesterol 189.5 mg, Fat 33.3 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 13.2 g, Sodium 341.2 mg
DADS MEAT LOAF RECIPE - (3.7/5)
Provided by tonym
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, onion, bread crumbs, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; mix well. Press mixture into prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining ketchup and brown sugar; brush over meat loaf. Bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until juices run clear. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then slice and serve. Read more at http://www.mrfood.com/Beef/Dads-Meat-Loaf#hrDfZLEOrcH5yXXS.99
Tips:
- Use a variety of ground meats. This will give your meatloaf a more complex flavor and texture. Good options include ground beef, pork, lamb, or veal.
- Don't overmix the meatloaf mixture. Overmixing will make the meatloaf tough. Just mix the ingredients until they are combined and then form the loaf.
- Add moisture to the meatloaf mixture. This will help keep the meatloaf moist and juicy. Good options for adding moisture include eggs, milk, bread crumbs, or vegetables.
- Season the meatloaf mixture generously. Meatloaf is a blank canvas for flavor, so don't be afraid to add your favorite seasonings. Good options include garlic, onion, paprika, chili powder, or cumin.
- Bake the meatloaf at a low temperature. This will help keep the meatloaf moist and juicy. The ideal baking temperature for meatloaf is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the meatloaf rest before slicing. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the meatloaf and make it easier to slice.
Conclusion:
With these tips in mind, you're sure to make a delicious and flavorful meatloaf that your family and friends will love. Experiment with different ingredients and seasonings to find your perfect meatloaf recipe.
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