This is my delicious meatloaf recipe that I make monthly and my family loves!
- Carbohydrate 44.5196800044432 g
- Cholesterol 2800.44 mg
- Fat 201.403040000067 g
- Fiber 2.50040005855174 g
- Protein 253.953240000855 g
- Saturated Fat 74.731756000012 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1760g)
- Sodium 3412.96400000228 mg
- Sugar 42.0192799458915 g
- Trans Fat 30.1204840000203 g
- Calories 3049 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, onion, eggs, oyster sauce, ketchup, worstershire sauce, salt and pepper and the crackers - I just break these up with my hands
- I mix this very well with my hands because this is the best way to mix it really well, you don't want chunks of beef without the flavor.....
- I place in baking dish and shape like loaf. Top with more ketchup, salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes but check for doneness after 1 hour. Cooking times vary with your own oven.
Historical Precedents
Meatloaf differs fundamentally from traditional European sausages because it lacks a casing. Early American iterations relied heavily on scrap meats and dried grains to stretch rations during economic hardship. Modern preparations utilize higher-grade ground beef while maintaining the foundational binding techniques established centuries ago.
Fresh Versus Preserved Components
Incorporating fresh onions introduces volatile sulfur compounds that soften during baking, whereas preserved condiments like ketchup and Worcestershire sauce supply stable glutamates. Fresh alliums add moisture that must balance against dry binders like crushed crackers. Dehydrated flavorings lack the enzymatic water content found in fresh vegetables, altering the internal steam generation during the bake.
Chemical Interactions
Proteins from the ground beef and eggs denature at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a rigid matrix that traps moisture. Amino acids from the Worcestershire sauce undergo Maillard reactions with surface proteins when exposed to the dry heat of a 350-degree oven. Acid from the ketchup topcoat breaks down surface fats, preventing the loaf exterior from tasting greasy.
