Meatloaf Recipe with the Best Glaze (2024)

FAQs

What can you put on top of meatloaf besides ketchup? ›

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

This quick and easy glaze is made with just 3 ingredients including BBQ sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar, and the option of adding a bit more tang, or spice to it. It comes together in minutes and makes an amazing meatloaf topping sauce that'll make you want to lick the spoon!

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs. Your binding ingredient is only second to the meat itself in your recipe and the reason why meatloaf crumbles. When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs.

Bread Crumb Substitutes

¼ cup panko. ¼ cup cracker or pretzel crumbs. ¼ cup crushed cornflakes or other unsweetened cereals. ⅔ cup regular rolled oats (Use this only as a substitute for bread crumbs in meat loaf and other meat mixtures, such as burgers.

Metal pans are great conductors of heat; in other words, they heat up quickly, but in turn, they also cool down more rapidly once removed from the heat source. Additionally, metal pans can withstand higher temperatures than glass.

The Basic Meatloaf Formula

All recipes for meatloaf start with the same basic formula: 2 pounds of ground meat and a “panade” made of bread or crackers soaked in milk. Along with a few eggs, this panade helps to hold the ground meat together and adds some essential moisture to the mix.

Is it better to cook meatloaf at 350 or 400? ›

Cooking your meatloaf at 350°F creates a tender and moist result. This lower temperature allows the meat to cook gradually, preserving its natural juices and flavors.

With the appropriate tweaking, a recipe can use ketchup in place of tomato paste. It's important to remember that ketchup has more sugar than tomato paste and packs a tangier zing. If your recipe calls for sugar and/or vinegar, you may have to lower the amounts to accommodate what ketchup brings to the party.

Most of the other ingredients can be switched out, such as oatmeal or crackers instead of breadcrumbs or egg substitute instead of eggs, but without ketchup inside the mixture and as part of the glaze on top, you're missing that touch of sweetness and acidity that balances out the other ingredients.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, the vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Beware Breadcrumbs: Overusing breadcrumbs can soak up moisture and leave your meatloaf dry. Use breadcrumbs in moderation or try using alternatives like oats or crushed crackers. Use Extra Egg: Eggs act as binders and provide moisture. Add one or two eggs per pound of meat for a moist texture.