THE BEST MEATLOAF RECIPE

Yasss” may be the only word you utter after your chomp down and savor the bursting flavors of this delicious classic, tender, and moist meatloaf.

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Meatloaf is one of my favorite comfort foods! My family always fight over the last slice of meatloaf. Back in the day, you wouldn’t find me fighting over meatloaf because I pretty much hated it. I grew tired of trying dry or bland meatloaf recipes. I eventually worked on making my own meatloaf. If you don’t like meatloaf I bet you’ll love this recipe.

Meatloaf isn’t rocket science. Don’t skimp on seasonings and use a generous amount of sauteed onions. The cooked onions made this meatloaf super delicious. A lot of recipes use milk but I don’t use milk. I only use beef broth. It works, trust me. The beef broth provides so much flavor.

"Yasss" may be the only word you utter after your chomp down and savor the bursting flavors of this delicious classic, tender, and moist meatloaf. 

Ingredients

Meatloaf

• 2 lb ground beef Don't use very lean ground beef
• 4 slices of fresh bread food processed
• 1/3 cup beef broth I used Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• pinch ground thyme
• 2 pinches dry parsley
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups red onion diced
• salt and pepper for taste see notes *A

Brown Sugar Ketchup

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 4-5 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover the entire top and sides of a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. 
2. Add the vegetable oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot enough add the onions and cook until softened about 6-8 minutes. A minute before the onions are done, add the garlic. Cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Remove the onions and garlic from the skillet and let it cool for about 5 minutes. 
3. To a small bowl add the fresh breadcrumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Mix gently. Let the breadcrumbs soak for 5 minutes. 
4. Get a bowl big enough for the ground beef and breadcrumb mixture. Add the ground beef to the bowl with all the seasonings, salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumb mixture, onions and garlic and gently mix. I used plastic gloves to mix. You can use a fork if you like.  Do not mash or overdo with mixing or the beef may get tough. 
5. Place the beef on the baking sheet lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Shape the beef into a loaf. Pour half of the brown sugar ketchup over the meatloaf. With the basting brush, brush the ketchup all over the top and side of the meatloaf. 
6. Reserve half of the ketchup. You will add the rest of the ketchup once the meatloaf is done. 
7. Place the meatloaf in the oven.  Add another baking sheet on the lower shelf right underneath the meatloaf. Fill it with water. This will help keep the meatloaf moist. 
8. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the temperature on your meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the rest of the ketchup and serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables. 

Recipe Notes

Do not overmanipulate the ground beef. Gently mix the ground beef into the seasonings and breadcrumb mixture. 

Storage:  refrigerate meatloaf in airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap for 3-4 days. 

Note A: I always reach for Better than Bouillon Beef Base whenever I need to use beef broth. It's just like homemade broth and it packs lots of flavors. It also lasts longer than the boxed or canned broth. The beef base is made from roasted beef & concentrated beef stock You can find the low sodium beef here. Be careful when using BTB because it has salt so just be mindful when you add more salt to the beef mixture. 

Recipe Source:whiskitrealgud.com