Beef Homestyle Meat Loaf Recipe

Prepare oven and pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.

Soak breadcrumbs

In a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and mixture is moistened.

Sauté onions and garlic (optional but recommended)

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Mix meat loaf

In a large bowl add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, beaten egg, sautéed onion/garlic (cool), Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Using your hands or a spoon, gently combine ingredients until evenly mixed — avoid overworking to keep the loaf tender.

Form and bake

Transfer mixture to the prepared loaf pan and press gently to shape. If using glaze, spread ketchup or glaze evenly across the top. Place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake 55–65 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160°F (71°C). If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes.

Rest

Remove meatloaf from oven and let rest in pan for 10–15 minutes, then lift out using parchment overhang or invert onto a cutting board. Reserve pan drippings for the gravy base.

Sauté shallot and mushrooms

While the meatloaf rests (or earlier, if you prefer), melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallot (or small onion) and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 4–5 minutes until they release liquid and begin to brown. Season lightly with 1/8 tsp salt and pepper.

Make roux

Push the shallots and mushrooms to one side, or remove briefly. Add 2 tablespoons flour to the skillet and stir into the butter/mushroom mixture. Cook 1–2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste, stirring constantly so the flour browns lightly but does not burn.

Deglaze with wine

Gradually pour in the 3 fl oz (about 1/3 cup) dry red wine while stirring or scraping the pan to deglaze and lift browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add stock and simmer

Stir in 2 cups beef stock, 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried), 1 tsp tomato paste, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 6–8 minutes until the gravy thickens to a sauce-like consistency. If it becomes too thick, add a splash more stock or water to reach desired thickness.

Finish and strain (optional)

Remove and discard the bay leaf. For a smooth sauce, strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Return to low heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter off the heat to give the sauce a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Combine with pan juices

If you reserved pan drippings from the meatloaf, add them to the gravy while warming to incorporate browned meat flavor. Heat through, then spoon the Burgundy gravy over sliced meatloaf when serving.

Slice the meatloaf into 8 equal slices. Arrange on a platter or plates and spoon warm Burgundy gravy over each slice. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.