19, Oct 2020

End Meatloaf Madness! Make this your easy how to guide!

Hey guys it’s that time again! If meatloaf madness has invaded your kitchen then I have the cure for you! Or two cures to be exact. Are you a household that hates meatloaf? Did you hate it as a kid and never tried it again? Maybe meatloaf in your house is more like a tasteless, brick of burger meat? Whatever the case, I have the solution. With either of these two main staples in my household, I believe you will find the cure to what ails your meatloaf madness dilemma.

Up until recently we only had one go to recipe in my house for meatloaf, mine. But when I was down for the count with multiple arm and hand surgeries, my son decided to step in and take over. His result was just as delicious as mine even though it was different. Wyatt’s meatloaf is fork tender but a tad more dense then mine. This does lend to making better meatloaf sandwiches though! Mine has more of the classic flavors, however both are definite winners.

Let’s Compare!

Both recipes are cooked in the same amount of time. They also have the same level of difficulty, which is barely anything.

Both recipes can easily be doubled to feed more people or halved to feed a smaller crowd.

Wyatt’s version uses Garden Vegetable flavored crackers and milk as binders while mine uses sliced bread soaked in milk.

My version has ketchup baked on top while his has an actual glaze.

Wyatt’s Meatloaf

The best meatloaf ever (Sorry Mom)

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 415 kcal

Equipment

large 15"x11" baking pan

Ingredients

Meat Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
1 sleeve Ritz Garden Vegetable crackers crushed
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup ketchup
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Glaze

3/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350*. Mix all meat ingredients together until well combined.
Place in a large pan, (15×11) in the shape of a loaf, without touching the side of dish. Bake for 45 minutes. While that is baking, mix glaze ingredients together. Pour over top of meatloaf, covering the whole thing in an even layer. Bake another 15-20 minutes or until desired doneness.
Let meatloaf sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Keyword ground beef, meatloaf

There are two main reasons I think Wyatt’s version is successful. First, the glaze itself adds so much flavor and caramelization. Second, The Ritz crackers he used. The crackers themselves are very flavorful so they impart that into the meat mixture.

Tips for the best meatloaf:

Don’t use a loaf pan! I can’t stress this enough! Putting it in a larger pan in the shape of a loaf without the side touching allows for quicker cooking and fat run-off.

Buy 93/7 ground beef. In both recipes we are putting enough moisture back into the meat, so we can leave out some fat! Also when the meat is fatty, it bubble up through the glaze and can make it slide off. Best to just go lean.

When using a dried onion soup mix packet, I don’t add salt. The packet has salt in it and I find it doesn’t need any additional.

Use bread soaked milk if you aren’t using breadcrumbs and milk.

Don’t forget the condiment no one can pronounce but everyone loves, Worcestershire sauce.

Use you hands to mix the meat. It lets you know when it’s well blended by feel better then sight. Don’t overmix, don’t undermix!

I have had many people over the years ask me what my secret ingredient is in my meatloaf. I don’t really have a secret per say. I’ve seen many recipes with the milk soaked bread in them. We tried it once without the bread and it was much more dense and dry. It sounds weird, I know but give it a try. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised.

What I love best about both recipes is their simplicity. Basically for both you are dumping all the ingredients in a bowl, mixing and baking. It doesn’t get much easier then that! We hope you love one or both of these recipes!

My Meatloaf

This is not your Momma's meatloaf, it's mine! A delicious symphony of flavors everyone will love.