Homemade Meatloaf (as Good as Mom's Recipe)
Homemade meatloaf. There's something about that savory, juicy, oven-baked meaty goodness that satisfies the soul, evoking memories of home-cooked meals and cozy family dinners growing up. And thanks to some easy additions, this meatloaf is a game changer. Tender, succulent, and with an ideal glaze-to-meat ratio in every bite, it’s perfection on a plate.
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Stick blender or food processor Optional (you can crumble bread by hand if desired)
- 1 Bowl for mixing
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Basting brush
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Meatloaf Glaze
- 236 ml (1 cup) Ketchup
- 2 tbsp Dijon or brown mustard See recipe note 1
- 100 grams (½ cup) Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dried herbs See recipe note 2
Meatloaf
- 100 g (1½ cups) Breadcrumbs See recipe note 3
- 1 Small onion grated or finely diced Approx. ½ cup (See recipe note 4)
- 1 Sweet or Red Bell Pepper Approx. ½ cup (See recipe note 5)
- 700 g (1½ lbs) Ground beef and pork 50/50 combination
- 170 g (1 cup) Greek yoghurt
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Ketchup
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dried herbs
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
Meatloaf Glaze
- Make the glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and mix over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Meatloaf
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 220C (425F).
- Make the breadcrumbs. Add 3-4 slices of bread to a food processor and blend. If crumbling by hand, crumble the bread into as small of pieces as possible.
- Make the panade. Add breadcrumbs and yogurt to a bowl so that the mixture forms a paste. Let soak for a few minutes until the bread absorbs any liquid.
- Combine the meatloaf ingredients. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatloaf ingredients except the olive oil and mix well (meat, egg, spices, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, grated onion, and diced pepper, breadcrumb mixture)
- Form a loaf. Form the mixture into a loaf using your hands, working out all cracks and air pockets. Once formed, lightly brush the top with extra virgin olive oil to help the browning process.
- Bake the meatloaf. Place into the oven for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the baking tray to ensure even cooking and browning. After 30 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Wipe away any excess fat with a paper towel.
- Glaze the meatloaf. Using the basting brush, coat the meatloaf with glaze thoroughly.
- Bake for another 10 minutes. Return the meatloaf to the oven for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to set. Using a meat thermometer, pay attention to its internal temperature. You want 69-74C (155-165F). Anywhere in this range is fine, as it will continue to cook for a few minutes after removal from the oven. Remove from the oven.
- Rest and serve. Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you’re using a dijon mustard, be careful not to add too much. Dijon mustard can be quite pungent and too much can cause your glaze to pack more of a punch than you would otherwise desire.
- For the dried herbs, I use a mixture of dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, and savory, called herbes du provence in French-speaking countries (herbs of the province, or countryside). But you can use whatever you have on hand, such as just one of the dried herbs or any combination you like.
- The size of the breadcrumb will affect how much you use. For a thicker, coarser breadcrumb, you may need to use a little more than a cup and a half. If you don’t have stale bread on hand and you don’t want to use your fresh bread, you can absolutely use store-bought breadcrumbs, such as Panko or something similar. I usually happen to have a stale piece of bread or two, which I prefer not to waste. It’s also usually whole-grain brown bread, which I find adds a slightly rustic character to the meatloaf.
- I find that grating the onion is one of the best ways to not only get the maximum juice and flavor from the onion, but also ensure that the pieces are small enough and cook evenly without sautéing first. As with the pepper, if you’re dicing the onion, make sure to dice it as finely as possible. Otherwise it won’t fully cook.
- In this specific iteration of the recipe, I couldn’t find red bell pepper, so I used a sweet red pepper. The difference is negligible.