Traditional Meatloaf

For me, meatloaf is a nostalgic, comforting dish that can evoke memories of childhood dinners cooked by Mom. Some might say it’s as American as hot dogs or hamburgers. However, the first meatloaf is thought to have originated from Europe and as far back as the 5th century.

Back then, it was created by mixing chopped cold meats with leftover scraps of vegetables to make the less affluent families stretch the expensive protein a bit further. It’s said that meatloaf made its way across the pond during colonial times, where it started as “scrapple” in Pennsylvania, created by German immigrants using ground pork and cornmeal. It then evolved into the meatloaf we know and love today, finding its way into many kitchens across the country ever since.

Ground beef is often used for meatloaf, but some grocery stores sell meatloaf mix, a blend and equal ratio of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal. The ground meat you choose is usually mixed with aromatics (onion and sometimes garlic) and binders — usually beaten eggs and milk-soaked breadcrumbs.

Typically, onions are sautéed and cooled before mixing in with the ground meat, but this recipe uses grated raw onion for speed, which melt into the meat when cooking. The mixture is also flavored with herbs, spices, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup. It is then either pressed into a loaf pan or free-formed into a compact loaf on a rimmed baking sheet, covered in a glaze, and then baked for an hour. Although generally meatloaf can be prone to cracking, the freeform meatloaf tends to crack more than the loaf pan version. 

There are many glaze variations, but traditionally, only ketchup was used. However, if you want more sweetness and tang, you can add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, or a dash of vinegar. 

Soaking breadcrumbs in milk is a traditional method when making meatloaf, as it helps create a tender, moist meatloaf and prevents the proteins in the meat from shrinking. 

This question is slightly controversial because not everyone agrees! Some believe that tenting the meatloaf in foil for part of the baking time helps lock in the moisture, yielding a juicier loaf, whereas some think that covering it steams the loaf and affects the texture. I prefer to leave it uncovered, so the glaze gets nice and caramelized during the whole bake time. 

If you happen to find yourself with any leftovers, then try these ideas/

• Crisp up in a skillet and serve with a zingy salad. 
• Crumble leftover slices and mix in with a marinara sauce for a quick pasta sauce.
• Make these delicious sloppy Joe meatball subs.