Roxie's Righteous Meatloaf
Tangy, moist dish for family, friends, and company alike. Easily adaptable for loaf pans and large muffin tins alike (for individual servings). Tangy with Ro-Tel tomatoes (or just plain tomatoes) will keep it moist. I use fine bread crumbs as they mix/absorb better than cracker crumbs.
Tangy, moist dish for family, friends, and company alike. Easily adaptable for loaf pans and large muffin tins alike (for individual servings). Tangy with Ro-Tel tomatoes (or just plain tomatoes) will keep it moist. I use fine bread crumbs as they mix/absorb better than cracker crumbs.
- Carbohydrate 25.6335163831083 g
- Cholesterol 123.8094529 mg
- Fat 19.2615965888335 g
- Fiber 1.36166609360362 g
- Protein 25.5937769172687 g
- Saturated Fat 7.25426160343402 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (199g)
- Sodium 655.212597110726 mg
- Sugar 24.2718502895047 g
- Trans Fat 2.75406644138087 g
- Calories 381 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine the onion, egg, tomatoes, bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper thoroughly. THEN add the ground beef and mix well with hands. (I have found it is much easier to combine the ground beef INTO the previously mixed ingredients instead of everything all together.) Place the mixture in a baking dish (or large muffin tins) big enough to hold the meat loaf. (Two pounds of ground beef will take two loaf pans). Shape the meat mixture into a loaf about 8x3 in.
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Spread over the loaf. Bake for 1 hour, until well browned. Serve hot.
- If cooking only muffin tin loaves, decrease temp to 350 degrees and cook 45 min.
The ingredient list hides the physical work required to build proper structure without overworking the protein. Ground beef reacts poorly to excessive handling, turning dense rather than tender when compacted too aggressively. Mixing the liquid ingredients, aromatics, breadcrumbs, and binders into a cohesive panada before introducing the meat prevents over-kneading.
Sequencing and Shaping Mechanics
Combine the eggs, chopped yellow onion, canned tomatoes, fine bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper thoroughly before adding two pounds of ground beef. Fine bread crumbs hydrate faster than coarse variants, absorbing excess moisture from the canned tomatoes to keep the interior cohesive. Form the mixture into an eight-by-three-inch loaf inside a baking dish large enough to capture rendering fats without overflowing. Whisk ketchup, yellow mustard, and light brown sugar separately, then spread this glaze over the surface to form a caramelized exterior during the one-hour bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Individual portions baked in large muffin tins require lowering the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and reducing the cooking time to 45 minutes.
- Use fine bread crumbs for superior liquid absorption compared to coarse or cracker alternatives.
- Mix the binder elements before adding the ground beef to prevent dense texture.
- Bake the main loaf at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes until deeply browned.
- Reduce heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 45 minutes when utilizing individual muffin tin portions.
- Divide the two pounds of meat across two standard loaf pans if a shallower profile is desired.
