Texas Two-Step Meatloaf
This is a combination of a sauce recipe I found and my original meatloaf recipe. We love the sauce!
This is a combination of a sauce recipe I found and my original meatloaf recipe. We love the sauce!
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 pound lean ground meat
- 8 saltine crackers crumbled (put in plastice bag and crush)
- 1/4 bell pepper chopped
- 1 10 ounce rotel tomatoes don't drain
- 1 tablespoon lipton onion soup mix
- 1/2 teaspoon lawry's season salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or fresh, optional
- step two - sauce
- 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar see note
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes optional
- Carbohydrate 28.6114276411765 g
- Cholesterol 86.0233333333333 mg
- Fat 13.5087546904575 g
- Fiber 1.02383945114025 g
- Protein 17.1646942324183 g
- Saturated Fat 4.96419795321569 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (179g)
- Sodium 783.91483572549 mg
- Sugar 27.5875881900362 g
- Trans Fat 1.86124005709804 g
- Calories 306 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. I prepare two small loaf pans and freeze one since there are only two of us. It freezes well before it's cooked.
- Combine the nine ingredients in step one in a medium mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands, squishing it until it's all mixed together nicely. I use disposable latex gloves for this because I don't like to touch raw meat and this will get up under your fingernails *ick*.
- For step two I like to combine the ingredients for the sauce in a measuring cup and whisk well with a fork until you get a nice, smooth consistancy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Pour or spoon the sauce over the entire surface of the meatloaf. Bake for at least one hour unless you freeze half of it. If you are only baking half of the recipe 45 minutes should be sufficient unless you want the top to brown. See notes. You can double the sauce recipe and heat half of it to serve on top of the individual servings of meatloaf if desired.
Baking time shifts dramatically depending on whether a single large vessel or two smaller pans receive the mixture. The oven must remain preheated at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Splitting the raw mixture into two small loaf pans allows one unit to go straight into the freezer for future meals. Unbaked meatloaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap maintains quality in the freezer for up to three months. When baking only a half-portion from a frozen state or utilizing a halved batch, reduce the initial oven exposure to 45 minutes. Whole unhalved loaves require a minimum of 60 minutes to reach internal safety thresholds.
Pan Selection and Thermal Conductivity
Glass baking dishes retain heat differently than dark metal loaf pans. Dark anodized aluminum absorbs radiant heat quickly, promoting rapid browning along the exterior crust. Glass pans insulate the edges, which can slow down cooking times by approximately ten minutes. Spraying the interior surfaces with non-stick cooking spray prevents protein adherence during removal. Disposable foil pans offer a lightweight alternative that transfers heat efficiently.
- Ensure the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest center point.
- Whisk the brown sugar and vinegar glaze components thoroughly until no dry lumps remain before application.
- Substitute crushed saltine crackers with plain breadcrumbs at a one-to-one volumetric ratio if necessary.
