How to Make Classic Meatloaf

While I will definitely miss the summer, there are many things about the autumn of the year that I love!

Farmer’s Markets are absolutely bursting with the garden’s bounty, life gets back to more of a routine, cooler evenings that make for a more restful sleep, fluffy blankets, warm woolen sweaters, and yummy comfort food!

Like many people, we tend to barbecue a lot in the summer, but the autumn is the time of year for slow, oven cooked comfort food.

One of our favourites to make and eat is the much-maligned classic meatloaf!

This recipe is not your usual dry, tasteless, lump of grey meat. It is absolutely full of flavour with a sweet, sticky topping and smells like heaven as it is roasting.

Although I have modified it, this recipe was actually in a book that a group of my fellow hospital employees put together as a fund raiser…probably close to a million years ago!

The book is now long gone, but I do still have a few rescued pages tucked away in my totally unorganized recipe “baggie”.

I have made this recipe for Lorraine’s Meatloaf, so many times, that I no longer need the recipe, I just make it from memory.

It is so easy to make. Just put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir together with a fork. We like our bread and onions in a little chunkier size, but if you like, you could definitely make the pieces smaller.

Mix together the ingredients, pile into a loaf pan and use the tines of your fork to flatten everything out.

While the meat starts to roast, mix up the ingredients for your sticky topping.

After 60 minutes of cooking, carefully drain any fat (you don’t want to lose your meatloaf in the sink!) and spread on the topping.

Continue baking for about 10 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
Let sit, covered, for 15 minutes before slicing.

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How to Make Classic Meatloaf

 

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Ingredients

• LOAF
• 1½ - 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
• ¾ cup milk
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• 1 cup dried (or fresh if you don't have dried) breadcrumbs OR you can also use cracker crumbs.
• salt and pepper to taste
• TOPPING
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons prepared mustard
• ⅓ cup ketchup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, onion, garlic, milk, ketchup and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt (if you use salted crackers, don't add too much salt) and pepper.
3. Place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and if necessary, carefully drain any fat.
5. Spread reserved topping over meatloaf
6. Continue baking for approximately 10 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
7. Let sit, covered, for 15 minutes before slicing.

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Have you ever made a meatloaf?  Do you like meatloaf?