Win's Famous Meatloaf Recipe
Scratch made Meatloaf served up hot and fast! Comfort food at its finest, this generous dish is all about growing up in the Midwest.
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Ingredients
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Meatloaf
Glaze
Serving / finishing
Method
Meatloaf
Preheat and sweat onion
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup milk and 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs. Let sit 2–3 minutes until breadcrumbs absorb the milk and become mushy — this keeps the meatloaf moist.
Combine meat mixture
In a large mixing bowl add 1.25 lbs ground beef and 0.25 lbs ground pork. Add the soaked breadcrumbs, the cooled sautéed onion and garlic, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1.25 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Using clean hands or a spatula, gently mix until ingredients are just evenly distributed — avoid overworking the meat which makes it dense.
Shape meatloaf
Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined or lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, pressing gently and smoothing the top. Alternatively shape into a free-form loaf on a baking sheet with a 1/2-inch lip. Smooth the top with wet hands for a neat finish.
Glaze
Make glaze
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 tsp hot sauce (if using). Whisk until smooth and slightly glossy.
Apply glaze and bake
Spread about two-thirds of the glaze evenly over the top of the formed meatloaf. Reserve remaining glaze. Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 35 minutes.
Finish baking with glaze
After 35 minutes, remove meatloaf from oven and brush remaining glaze over the top. Return to oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160°F (71°C), about another 10–15 minutes (total bake time ~45–50 minutes). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Resting and serving
Remove meatloaf from oven and let rest in pan or on a cutting board for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Run a knife around the edges and transfer to a platter. Spoon any collected pan drippings over sliced portions, or drizzle up to 2 tbsp reserved pan drippings for extra flavor. Garnish with 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Slice into 6 generous servings and serve hot.