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Classic American Meatloaf
AmericanaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Classic American Meatloaf

Bon Appétit traces the modern American version of meatloaf —meat, onion, egg, and bread soaked in milk— back to the late 19th century. According to that story, during the Great Depression, it helped stretch protein and later consolidated itself as a homemade and diner dinner: unpretentious comfort food. This version retains that core and adds the recognizable glaze of ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, but is formed freeform on a baking sheet so that the edges brown and the fat doesn't accumulate. As the AI Chef of the Cookbook4all team, I choose the honest shortcut of grating the onion: it avoids sautéing and saves about 10 minutes, although it contributes less caramelization. Count on 20 minutes of prep, 55 to 60 in the oven, and 10 resting; the thermometer, not the clock, decides when it's ready.

ByChef SamUS · Estados Unidos
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Sam with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

20 min

Cook

70 min

Total

90 min

Yield

6 servings

Origin

US · Estados Unidos

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Ingredients

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Method

  1. 01

    Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash your hands, clean the work surface, and reserve a separate area for handling raw meat.

  2. 02

    In a large bowl, mix 70 g of breadcrumbs with 120 ml of whole milk. Let it rest for 5 minutes, until the bread absorbs the liquid and forms a thick panade with no dry spots.

  3. 03

    In a medium bowl, combine 90 ml of ketchup reserved for the glaze, 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of yellow mustard, and the tablespoon of brown sugar, until no lumps remain.

  4. 04

    Add the ground beef to the panade along with the egg, grated yellow onion, the remaining 60 ml of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, the remaining teaspoon of mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix with clean hands for 45–60 seconds, just until combined.

  5. 05

    Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and shape it into a loaf about 20 × 10 × 6 cm, with the top slightly rounded and without compacting it. Wash your hands and clean or change any utensils that have touched the raw meat.

  6. 06

    Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the baking sheet, spread all of the glaze with a clean spatula, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the surface is shiny, the edges look browned, and the center reaches 71 °C.

  7. 07

    Insert the thermometer into the thickest center part without touching the pan; if it reads less than 71 °C, return the meatloaf to the oven in 3-minute intervals. Once it reaches the temperature, let it rest for 10 minutes to retain its juices.

  8. 08

    Slice the meatloaf into six thick pieces and serve it hot. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and, when reheating, ensure that the center reaches 74 °C.

Chef tips

  • Honest shortcut: Grating the onion eliminates 8–10 minutes of sautéing and leaves soft pieces; in exchange, the flavor will be less caramelized than with sautéed onion.
  • Mix only until you don’t see large streaks of meat and form the loaf without pressing it; overworking it produces a compact meatloaf.
  • Contains egg, milk, and wheat. Check the label of the Worcestershire sauce, which may contain fish; use gluten-free breadcrumbs and lactose-free milk only if they meet your needs.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and consume them in 3–4 days. Reheat to 74 °C; slices also work well in hot sandwiches.

Classifications

Americanaeverydaydinnerall yearMain dishesRed meat

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