Meatloaf - who's got a tried and true recipe

[justjulie]

I need a tried and true -no fail - recipe for meatloaf - does anyone have one they're willing to share?

 

[MazdaUK]

Mine's a Hungarian-type version with some other tweaks from a recipe I saw on TV - but basically i mix it, put it in a loaf pan and cook it and its fine

Hungarian-style meatloaf (serves 6-8)
1 clove garlic, crushed
150g bulgar wheat
500g lean beef mince
500g pork mince
2 large eggs, lightly bneaten
1 medium onion
130g shallots (or more onion)
½ pack (75g) stuffing
Large handful fresh herbs, chopped, or 1-2 tsp dried
Salt and black pepper
Oil (for greasing)

1. Place bulgar wheat in a mixing bowl and cover with tap water. Leave to soak for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile make up stuffing according to pack instructions and leave to stand. Peel and finely chop onion and shallots.
2. Press as much water as possible out of the wheat. Break up the stuffing. Put all the ingredients in a very large bowl (min 5 litre capacity) and mix well until thoroughly combined. (This can be done in a food processor but gives a smoother texture).
3. Lightly grease a large loaf tin and press the mixture in firmly, making sure the top is level. Brush top with a little more oil and place in preheated oven (180ºC, gas 4, Fan 160º) for 1 hr 15 mins – 1 hr 30 mins or until done (juices run clear when top is pressed by a knife point)
4. Remove from oven and leave to rest, covered, in a warm place for 15 mins. Turn out and carve into nice thick slices, serve with mashed potato and cream of spinach or gravy.
5. Cooked, ready-sliced loaf can be frozen (well wrapped). Defrost in the fridge, then reheat for 25 mins at temperature as above for 25 mins or until piping hot.

 

[greeneeyes]

My family loves this and it's great as leftovers for a sandwich.


BBQ Meatloaf

Makes 6 servings


1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 lb ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup bbq sauce, divided

Mix first eight ingredients in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce. Shape into loaf. Placed in a microwave loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, cover.
Micro on 50% for 15 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce on top of loaf; carefully spread to cover. Replace cover and microwave on 50% for 15 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 140 degrees.
Let rest for 10 minutes.

 

[MazdaUK]

I try to have leftovers but my family LOVE their meatloaf

 

[lewdyan1]

Don't laugh, but we love meatlaof made in the microwave...

MEAT LOAF (MICROWAVE)

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 c. crushed corn flakes
1 to 1 1/2 c. tomato juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. chili or barbeque sauce

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Place mixture in an 8 inch round baking dish, in the shape of a doughnut. Place a wadded up paper towel in the center. Microwave on high (100% power), for 7 minutes covered with wax paper. Turn meat loaf 1/2 turn after 3 minutes. Remove wax paper and top with chili or barbeque sauce. microwave on high (100% power), for 6 minutes longer, uncovered. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
Note: if paper towel is saturated with grease, remove at half time and put a clean one in the center of the meat loaf.

 

[MazdaUK]

Doesn't the meatloaf fall apart when you turn it over? Or do you turn the dish? (My microwave has a turntable)

 

[greeneeyes]

Doesn't the meatloaf fall apart when you turn it over? Or do you turn the dish? (My microwave has a turntable)

Turning a half turn means turn the dish, the turntable eliminates this step. I do my meatloaf in a micro with a turntable so it spins constantly. I've tried the ring shap, but like the loaf better.

 

[lewdyan1]

Turning a half turn means turn the dish, the turntable eliminates this step. I do my meatloaf in a micro with a turntable so it spins constantly. I've tried the ring shap, but like the loaf better.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who makes it in the microwave! I agree the loaf is a great way to go.

 

[piratesmate]

I've never made it in the microwave, but have recently discovered that it's great in the crockpot! LOL I have an oval one, so it fits nicely. When we were first married, DH would ask for meatloaf often, but I could never get it to taste "like Mom's" until I discovered that it really needs the breadcrumbs! Here is my recipe - I had to work out the measurements last year when I made recipe cards for DS. He was moving to CA & wanted to make sure he could have things taste like home...even though mine never tasted quite the same since I don't measure - just eyeball it.

Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef (I use 90% lean)
1 egg, beaten
¼ c BBQ sauce
1 - 2 Tbl A-1® sauce
1 Tbl Parmesan cheese
2 - 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
several drops (maybe 1/8 tsp) Liquid Smoke®
½ tsp cardamom
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp ginger (dry, ground)
1 tsp garlic powder
bread crumbs

Mix everything together except bread crumbs until evenly distributed. Add bread crumbs until you can make a loaf out of it without having it stick to your hands. I'm guessing at least ¼ to ½ cup. I usually have to add several times until it "looks right" as my grandmother would say.

 

[MazdaUK]

How do you stop it being fatty? I've made it in the crockpot once and decided it was better (and no more trouble) in my Pampered Chef loaf pan - I make it whenever during the day and put the pan in the fridge til just before I'm ready to start cooking

 

[greeneeyes]

How do you stop it being fatty? I've made it in the crockpot once and decided it was better (and no more trouble) in my Pampered Chef loaf pan - I make it whenever during the day and put the pan in the fridge til just before I'm ready to start cooking

Use the leanest ground beef you can find, AT LEAST 85 % lean. You can also put a piece of bread in the bottom of the pan to soak up the fat is you use a less lean mix

 

[piratesmate]

How do you stop it being fatty? I've made it in the crockpot once and decided it was better (and no more trouble) in my Pampered Chef loaf pan - I make it whenever during the day and put the pan in the fridge til just before I'm ready to start cooking

Like greeneyes said, it needs to be lean meat to start with. I can't begin to use the 85% - I always use 90% or 92% if it doesn't cost the earth!

I found that using the crockpot wasn't any worse than baking it in the oven - in fact, because the crock was so large less of the loaf was down in the liquid fat. But the idea of putting bread under works if you use like the bottom half of a loaf of hard Italian bread. It absorbs the fat better than plain "white" bread, which turns to mush. LOL My problem is that DH wants to eat the bread!! Yuck!

 

[poohbear158]

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup crushed buttery round crackers
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons steak sauce



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Stir the ground beef, crushed crackers, Cheddar cheese, and onion soup mix in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk the eggs, ketchup, and steak sauce in a separate bowl until smooth. Mix the egg mixture into the meat until evenly combined, if the mixture seems too dry, add a little water. Press into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven until the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) and is no longer pink in the center, 45 to 60 minutes.

 

[Fran98765]

I never use a "recipe" but my meatloaf is always a huge hit. My dorky DH... when I ask what he loves about me, his response is always "your meatloaf".

I use 2-3 lbs ground beef. You can use a bit of ground pork instead for extra flavor, no more then 1/3 of the total weight.
I essentially cover the meat with breadcrumbs, I would estimate about 1/4 cup or more.
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce... maybe a couple tsp.
A pile of chopped onion.. maybe 1/4 cup ish maybe less
A big mound of parmesan cheese... 1/4 cup ish
Season generously... salt, pepper, parsley, oregano
For a kick, add some cayenne and red pepper flakes. I'm not always in the mood for a kick.

Bake at 400 about an hour.

 

[MazdaUK]

I used really lean beef (but it might not have been 90%), and put it on top of bits of scrunched up foil (the idea being the fat dropped to the bottom ) and blotted the top with kitchen roll part-way through, but it still looked a bit gross. In the oven I suppose the fat burns off I don't know where the fat goes otherwise, as I tip the loaf out to cut it and there's no "loose" fat at all