Homestyle Meatloaf
An Old Family Favorite...my father's meatloaf recipe is easy to make, moist and flavorful. I don't consider it to be unique or unusual, as it is just a very delicious, balanced recipe. The soft fresh bread crumbs, evaporated milk and egg combine to make it less dense and the parsley adds a nice taste. The free-form shape adds a touch of rustic charm. Often times, my father will use rye or sourdough bread for making his crumbs, making for a subtle yet interesting change of taste. Leftovers, if there are any, make a delicious hearty sandwich the next day.
An Old Family Favorite...my father's meatloaf recipe is easy to make, moist and flavorful. I don't consider it to be unique or unusual, as it is just a very delicious, balanced recipe. The soft fresh bread crumbs, evaporated milk and egg combine to make it less dense and the parsley adds a nice taste. The free-form shape adds a touch of rustic charm. Often times, my father will use rye or sourdough bread for making his crumbs, making for a subtle yet interesting change of taste. Leftovers, if there are any, make a delicious hearty sandwich the next day.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
- -- glaze --
- dash worcestershire sauce
- dash hot pepper sauce
- -- meatloaf --
- 1 1/2 pound ground chuck (85 percent lean)
- 3 slices bread, finely diced with a knife (* see note) (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, finely chopped (or, about 1/3 cup)
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced (or, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoon molasses (or, brown sugar)
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 large egg, (or extra-large) lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk, divided (or, half-and-half or sweet milk)
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
- Carbohydrate 23.0468747 g
- Cholesterol 114.77 mg
- Fat 24.08262063 g
- Fiber 1.41336397992886 g
- Protein 22.713507145 g
- Saturated Fat 9.00797745566667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (252g)
- Sodium 483.397994222222 mg
- Sugar 21.6335107200711 g
- Trans Fat 3.71895997866666 g
- Calories 400 calories
Step-by-step
- For the glaze, combine the ketchup, vinegar, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey, set aside.
- Place oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl, set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg with molasses, salt, pepper, celery salt, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of the evaporated milk and 1/2 the glaze mixture, until combined. Gently break-up ground beef in a large bowl. Add bread crumbs, parsley and cooked onion, bell pepper and garlic. Pour egg mixture over meat mixture and mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. If mixture sticks to bowl, add additional evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture doesn't stick. Be careful not to overmix, and avoid squeezing the meat. Transfer meat mixture onto the center of a shallow parchment paper-lined baking sheet or pan and form into a 9- by 5-inch loaf shape, avoiding air pockets. Smooth top and edges of meat loaf with moistened spatula. Bake at 350 degrees F until meatloaf is to medium doneness, an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 155-160 degrees F, about 55 to 65 minutes. Brush the remaining glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and cut into thick slices.
Overpacking the loaf pan creates a dense, compact cylinder that steams rather than roasts. Forming a free-form loaf directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet allows hot air to circulate freely around all sides, developing a deeply browned exterior crust. When combining the meat and binders, use your fingers to gently lift and fold the ingredients together rather than kneading the chuck like bread dough; overworking the protein extracts myosin, which turns the finished slice spongy and heavy. Soft fresh bread crumbs soaked in dairy act as a crucial moisture trap, holding onto rendered fat during the bake so the center remains juicy without becoming mushy. If you lack an instant-read digital thermometer to verify that the internal temperature has reached 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, insert a metal skewer into the thickest part of the center, hold it there for ten seconds, and touch it to the inside of your wrist to gauge the heat.
Allow the baked loaf to rest undisturbed on the pan for fifteen minutes before slicing to let the internal juices redistribute fully. Letting those slices chill overnight transforms the leftovers into a prime candidate for a cold sandwich layered with sharp mustard on crusty sourdough.
