Ina’s Biggest Fan Thinks His Mom’s Meatloaf Is Better
Trent Pheifer, the Instagrammer behind @Storeboughtisfine, thinks his mom's meatloaf recipe is superior to Ina's — and we got the recipe.
Serves4 to 6
Prep15 minutes to 20 minutes
Cook1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes
Trent Pheifer, the Instagram extraordinaire behind beloved Ina Garten fan account @StoreBoughtIsFine, is extremely high up on Kitchn’s list of favorite accounts to follow. His Instagram account is where you can find Trent cooking his way through every single recipe that Ina has ever published.
While swiping through his Insta Stories, we spotted some major tea: Trent thinks that his mom’s meatloaf is better than Ina’s. Gasp. (For reference, we gave Ina’s meatloaf a 9/10 in our meatloaf battle, so we think it’s pretty darn good.)
We couldn’t let this bold assertion slide without asking Trent what it is exactly that makes his mom’s meatloaf superior to Ina’s. Ask and you shall receive, people, because we got our hands on Trent’s honest thoughts and his mom’s recipe, which Trent gives a 10/10.
“While Ina’s meatloaf recipes are delicious (that garlic sauce on her 1770 House Meatloaf is a dream), it’s impossible for anyone to compete with the 30 years of nostalgia I have for my mom’s version of this humble classic,” Trent explains. “I was able to successfully make it at a time when I often screwed up microwaving oatmeal. Of course, nothing beats when my mom makes it for me!” In true Ina fashion, Trent also calls his mom’s recipe “foolproof.” (Old habits die hard!)
“I know meatloaf has its detractors, but to me it’s the ultimate comfort food. One forkful instantly transports me back to family dinners growing up. Despite both parents working full-time jobs, they managed to get a hot meal on the table by 6 p.m. nearly every night. It’s something that, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate more and more, when most nights I barely have the energy to warm up leftovers,” Trent says.
No one can deny that any great meatloaf is at least 75 percent nostalgia, so it’s no wonder Trent would choose his mom’s over Ina’s any day. Anyway, here’s the better-than-Ina recipe!
Mom's Easy Meatloaf
Trent Pheifer, the Instagrammer behind @Storeboughtisfine, thinks his mom's meatloaf recipe is superior to Ina's — and we got the recipe.
Prep time 15 minutes to 20 minutes
Cook time 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 1
large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup
minced onions
- 1 1/2 pounds
ground beef
- 1 cup
dried breadcrumbs
- 1 1/4 cups
whole milk
- 1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/4 teaspoons
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon
celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
dry mustard
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup
ketchup
- 2 tablespoons
packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons
yellow mustard
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Beat 1 egg in a large bowl. Finely chop until you have 1/4 cup minced onions, then add to the bowl. Add 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 1/4 cups whole milk, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. Stir with a fork until combined. Transfer to an ungreased 9x5-inch loaf pan and pat into an even layer.
Place 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons yellow mustard in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spread evenly over the meatloaf.
Bake until the center of the meatloaf registers 160ºF, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Whose meatloaf is better: Ina’s or your moms?