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Winter has arrived and comfort food is key. I’m sharing my tips on How to Make the Best Meatloaf so you can enjoy this classic diner dish at home.

Keep reading for a few pointers that will help you serve a tasty Homemade Meatloaf to your family. Then indulge in a meatloaf sandwich for lunch the next day! Read on for all my tips and a few favorite recipes!

Slice of Boarding House Meatloaf on a square white plate.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Expert Tips
3 How to Make Meatloaf Muffins
4 Frequently Asked Questions
5 You May Also Like
6 Boarding House Meatloaf

Why You Must Make

  • This combination of ground meat makes a tender, flavorful meatloaf.
  • Topping your meatloaf with bacon adds another layer of delicious flavor
  • Tips on mixing and baking will also help make a delicious main dish your family will enjoy!

My mom’s meatloaf was simple. Only using ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, and a few slices of torn bread, it disappeared quickly. But over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to help make a perfect meatloaf.

Two bacon wrapped meatloaf muffins on a round white plate.

Expert Tips

  • PRO-Tip: Do not over-mix your meatloaf. I use my hands (feel free to use food-safe plastic gloves) to gently combine the ingredients. This will make your meatloaf more tender and less dense.
  • Each ingredient provides an important role. Bread crumbs (or cracker crumbs or oats) help provide binding and structure as do eggs.
  • The herbs and flavorings you add are up to you. I find that dried thyme and marjoram remind me of my mom’s recipe, so that’s one of my most favorite combos. Worcestershire is a popular addition and it provides that umami, that savory taste from glutamates, that can’t be beat.
  • PRO-Tip: Soaking the bread in milk is a technique called panade and is found in most meatloaf recipes, contributing to the moistness of your meatloaf.
  • Adding aromatics like onions and garlic is definitely encouraged. If you’d like, add some finely minced vegetables like carrots,  celery, and even bell pepper. They all keep your meatloaf moist.
  • A topping or glaze is tasty along with giving your dish a finished look. I enjoy a thin coat of ketchup before adding bacon, another one of our favorite toppings. BBQ sauce is another option.
  • Most meatloaf is done after about an hour in the oven. Check the internal temperature which should at the most read 155-160º so you don’t overcook.
  • PRO-Tip: Let your meatloaf cool for about 30 minutes before slicing. Cover with foil to retain the heat. This allows the meatloaf to firm up and the juices to reabsorb.
  • My friend, Shelli, serves her version with a shallot sauce, but my hubby prefers a side of ketchup!


Bacon Topped Meatloaf - Pure comfort food with a retro flavor profile!

How to Make Meatloaf Muffins

I’ve shared my favorite meatloaf recipe on the blog before.

  • Start with half the recipe.
  • Line 8 muffin tin wells with partially cooked bacon before pressing in some of the meatloaf mixture.
  • Bake at 350º for about 30 minutes.
  • It was a fun presentation with excellent bacon-to-meat ratio!
  • The top photo is from a new recipe for Boarding House Meatloaf adapted from the Creme de Colorado Junior League Cookbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Ground Meat is Best for Meatloaf?

Though I grew up with a beef meatloaf and graduated to a mixture of equal parts ground beef, pork, and veal. I’ve evolved to a mixture of just ground beef and pork.

My new ratio is 75% ground beef and 25% ground pork. The pork adds some needed fat and the beef provides the classic flavor.

PRO-Tip: Use 85% lean ground beef. Any leaner will make for a dry meatloaf.
Veal was thought to add tenderness to the mixture, but research has shown the effects are negligible.

How Do You Make a Meatloaf Sandwich?

Everyone has an opinion on their favorite toppings for a meatloaf sandwich, but here are a few tips.

Start with good old-fashioned white bread. Remember this is diner food, and artisan bread was not the norm. Some mayonnaise smeared on the bread is key, but adding a little ketchup, mustard or even horseradish gives that je n’ais se quoi. Crisp lettuce is needed, like iceberg or romaine.

And finally, according to Bon Appetit, another addition to cut through the richness, like sliced pickles, a slice of red onion or even pickled onions works well. Don’t forget a little salt and pepper sprinkled on your slice of meatloaf to perk up the flavor of your meatloaf sandwich!

How Do You Shape Meatloaf?

I like to shape the ground meat into a rectangular loaf with my hands and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
You can also use a loaf pan as a mold and flip the shaped meatloaf out of  the pan onto a baking dish.

Alternatively, you can gently press the mixture into a greased muffin tin for individual meatloaf “muffins.”
If you make meatloaf muffins, you can line your muffin tins with partially cooked bacon for a more elegant presentation and flavor enhancement.

You can also bake your meatloaf in a loaf pan, though this method does not give the juices, including excess fat, any means of escape. This was the way my mom made meatloaf and we certainly never complained! There are also specialized (affilate link) meatloaf pans with an insert for easy removal and drainage.

You May Also Like

I hope I’ve inspired you and taught you a few new tricks on how to make the best meatloaf.

Stay in touch through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

Slice of Boarding House Meatloaf on a square white plate
The Recipe:

Boarding House Meatloaf

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield 8 servings

A flavorful meatloaf filled with vegetables and a delicious combination of ground meat and spices.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup minced red onion or shallots*
  • ¾ cup minced green onions
  • ¾ cup minced celery
  • ½ cup minced carrots
  • ½ cup minced green bell pepper
  • ½ cup minced red bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 3 cloves
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup half-and-half
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • ¾ cup dry bread crumbs, made from fresh bread and allowed to dry
  • Bacon, partially cooked, optional

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, saute onions, celery, carrots, green and red peppers, and garlic in butter until soft. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Stir seasonings into cooled vegetables. Mix in half-and-half, ketchup, ground beef, ground pork, eggs and bread crumbs.
  3. Gently form into a large loaf on a shallow baking dish. Top with partially cooked bacon slices if desired.
  4. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Adapted from Creme de Colorado.

*Mince very small or alternatively, place all the vegetables into a food processor and process until the mixture is very finely chopped.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 651Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 193mgSodium: 881mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 43g

Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American / Category: Entrees