Meatloaf
Quick answer
Meatloaf combines ground beef with sauteed onion, breadcrumbs, egg, and Worcestershire sauce, pressed into a loaf pan and topped with a ketchup glaze before baking at 180...
What makes this special
- Pre-cooking the onions prevents moisture from making the mix soggy in this glazed Meatloaf.
- Pre-cooked onion prevents raw moisture from making the mix soggy
- Ketchup glaze caramelizes at 180C into a sweet-salty crust
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180C and line the loaf pan with parchment so the meatloaf releases cleanly.
- 2 Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and saute for about 3 minutes.
- 3 Put the 600 g ground beef, cooled onion, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in a bowl.
Meatloaf combines ground beef with sauteed onion, breadcrumbs, egg, and Worcestershire sauce, pressed into a loaf pan and topped with a ketchup glaze before baking at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 to 55 minutes. The breadcrumbs absorb and hold moisture, preventing the loaf from drying out, while Worcestershire sauce deepens the savory flavor. Pre-cooking the onion and letting it cool before mixing removes excess moisture that would otherwise make the mixture too wet. Minimal handling is important - overworking the meat compacts the proteins and produces a tough texture. The ketchup glaze caramelizes in the oven to form a sweet-salty crust. Resting the meatloaf for at least 10 minutes after baking lets the internal juices redistribute so the slices hold together cleanly.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Preheat the oven to 180C and line the loaf pan with parchment so the meatloaf releases cleanly.
Finely chop the 120 g onion into small, even pieces so it cooks through quickly and does not leave raw, wet pockets.
- 2Control
Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and saute for about 3 minutes.
When the edges turn translucent, spread it out to cool so the hot onion does not start cooking the beef mixture.
- 3Season
Put the 600 g ground beef, cooled onion, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in a bowl.
Mix lightly with your fingertips just until the ingredients look evenly distributed, stopping before the meat becomes sticky and compact.
- 4Prep
Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan and press only enough to remove large gaps.
Level the top without packing it hard, then spread the 4 tablespoons ketchup evenly so the glaze can caramelize across the surface.
- 5Heat
Bake at 180C for 50 to 55 minutes.
The meatloaf is done when the glaze looks darker and set, and the center reaches about 72C, which keeps the loaf safe without drying it out.
- 6Prep
Remove the pan from the oven and let the meatloaf rest in the pan for at least 10 minutes.
Once the juices settle, loosen the edges first, lift it out, and cut thick slices so they hold together.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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