My Mom's Favorite Meatloaf
Any variation of ground meat works. My mother likes this with 3/4 pound of turkey and 1/4 pound of lean ground meat, but for my husband I like to use a traditional meatloaf mixture of ground pork, beef, and veal.
Any variation of ground meat works. My mother likes this with 3/4 pound of turkey and 1/4 pound of lean ground meat, but for my husband I like to use a traditional meatloaf mixture of ground pork, beef, and veal.
- Carbohydrate 12.121963339209 g
- Cholesterol 147.17080709375 mg
- Fat 35.718943140982 g
- Fiber 0.6075 g
- Protein 27.5985956030266 g
- Saturated Fat 12.2564935494266 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (187g)
- Sodium 547.25823673385 mg
- Sugar 11.514463339209 g
- Trans Fat 5.5530022791764 g
- Calories 487 calories
Step-by-step
- In bowl combine all ingredients.
- Squish with hands until blended.
- Press 2/3 of mixture into bread loaf pan.
- Using your fingers or a spoon, form a tunnel in the center.
- Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the tunnel and top with the remaining mixture.
- Bake in oven at 350 F for approximately 1 hour or until top is nice and brown.
- I also like to save some barbecue sauce and squeeze some along the top during the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Recipe may be doubled.
Why does ground meat sometimes bake into a dense, rubbery block instead of a tender loaf? Achieving the right texture depends entirely on how the proteins are handled before heat enters the equation. Overworking ground beef, pork, or veal encourages proteins to bond tightly into a tough matrix, which destroys the desired crumbly interior. Incorporating bread crumbs and eggs creates internal buffers that absorb moisture and interrupt those tight protein bonds. When mixing, distribute the ingredients just until uniform. Pressing two-thirds of the mixture into a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven-safe loaf pan establishes the base, while leaving a central tunnel allows for a hidden pocket of cheese without compromising the structural integrity of the outer meat boundary.
Managing Fat and Moisture Ratios
Ground meats behave differently based on their fat content and animal source. Replacing lean turkey with high-fat ground pork introduces more rendered lipids, which lubricates the muscle fibers as they tighten during the one-hour cooking window. Lighter poultry blends dry out quickly unless compensated with sufficient liquid components like Italian dressing or barbecue sauce. Reserve a portion of the barbecue glaze to apply during the final ten minutes of baking to caramelize the exterior sugars without burning them. Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer targeting 160 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
- Over-kneading the raw mixture develops excess myosin, yielding a sausage-like chew rather than a tender slice.
- Skipping the binder causes the proteins to shrink uniformly and expel all internal moisture.
- Adding high-moisture cheeses directly to the surface causes premature burning before the center finishes cooking.
