Tips and flavor-enhancing ideas:
For more flavor and a juicier meatloaf, add about 1/4 cup of tomato juice, wine, or broth for each pound of meat.
Bake in muffin tins or mini-loaf pans for individual servings.
Use leftovers sliced in sandwiches or crumbled in sauces or chili.
Replace some of the liquid in the recipe with red wine or dark beer.
Add a cup of grated or shredded cheese to the meatloaf and top with more cheese about 10 minutes before it's done.
Replace liquids with red wine or dark beer.
Make the finished meatloaf extra fancy by frosting with mashed potatoes and topping with cheese; return to the oven and cook until the cheese is melted.
Mom's Basic Meatloaf
basic meatloaf with ground beef, cracker crumbs, ketchup, chopped onion, and seasonings. Scroll down to see more meatloaf recipes
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients together gently. Form into a loaf and place in baking dish or loaf pan. Top with more ketchup if desired. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour.
Serves 4.
Grandma's Meat Loaf
This meat loaf is an old-fashioned favorite, made with lean ground beef, chili sauce, oats, and other ingredients and seasonings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or 1 pound lean
ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork
3/4 cup oats, quick or old-fashioned
1/4 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons water or milk
PREPARATION:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped celery and onion; cook, stirring, until tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix ground beef or beef and pork mixture, oats, chili sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, beaten egg, celery and onion mixture, and the water or milk.
In a 13x9-inch baking pan, shape meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf. Bake at 375° for 1 hour. Using 2 spatulas, carefully move meat loaf to a serving plate and slice.
Serves 6 to 8.