Ground Beef Meatloaf is the most comforting meal and something that the whole family loves. I cannot tell you how much I love making a traditional Meatloaf during the week and enjoy the leftovers on the weekend.

In this recipe I have combined the best of my mom's meatloaf and the best of my grandma's meatloaf. The result is a warm, cozy, delicious and perfect meatloaf.

This homemade Meatloaf recipe makes a juicy and tender and yummy meatloaf! It has a tangy and sweet topping. This Southern Meatloaf recipe is made with bread crumbs, onions, ground beef and my homemade meatloaf seasoning. 

A classic American comfort food, meatloaf boast a number of variations and endless possibilities.

Why is Meatloaf So Good?

It’s a mainstay in many American homes partly because of its unpretentious, classic flavor. Plus, it’s easy to make. Meatloaf is delicious, gooey and satisfying.

Ingredients

• lean ground beef
• breadcrumbs
• yellow onion – finely diced
• milk
• egg – beaten
• ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce
• Homemade Meatloaf Seasoning

For the topping:

• ketchup
• packed light brown sugar
• red wine vinegar

How do you make Paula Deen's Meatloaf

Well, this might be a bit of an exaggeration. The world knows it, I am not even half as good as Paula Deen. But, when it comes to the BEST Meatloaf Recipe, there cannot be anything as good as Paula Deen's Meatloaf.

My favorite Meatloaf Recipe is just what you need when you want to make the Best Meatloaf with the most amazing glaze.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 2: Take a large bowl and combine eggs, onion, milk, ground beef and bread crumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Fresh Chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper.

Step 3: Using your hand, mush all the ingredients together until they are well combined.

Step 4: Add the mixture to a loaf pan. Make sure it is evenly layered. Gently pat the meat down.

Step 5: Take a small bowl and add ketchup, vinegar and the brown sugar. Stir it  or whisk it together to combine. 

Step 6: Pour this mixture all over the meatloaf and use a spatula to spread it all over the meatloaf.

Step 7: Place the loaf pan in the oven at 190 degrees C or 375 degrees F for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Leave it uncovered.

Step 8: Once the meatloaf is ready, take it out of the oven and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. If you do not do this, the meatloaf could fall apart.

Cooking variations:

• For this recipe I usually use whole milk but any kind of milk is fine. You can also use non-dairy alternatives or 1% or 2% milk.
• You can use graham cracker crumbs or oatmeal instead of bread crumbs.

What Makes a Really Good Meatloaf?

Want the best meatloaf ever! will knock your socks off...

Use Lean Ground Beef. My suggestion would be to use a 80/20 ground beef to make the meatloaf. This has enough fat that will make your meatloaf juicy and moist.

Storage instructions:

This is how you can store it when you make it ahead of time.

Refrigeration- You can store the meatloaf in the fridge. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap so it stays firm. 

Freezing – The Meatloaf can be put in the freezer. You could leave it in the pan but cover it.

How to reheat and serve again – When you take the Meatloaf out of the fridge, leave it outside until it comes to room temperature and preheat the oven and heat it in there until it gets hot.

When you take it out of the freezer, first keep it in the fridge to thaw for about a day before you want to bake it. Uncover it and leave it out till it comes to room temperature. Preheat the oven and once it is hot, put in the meatloaf.

Why Does my Meatloaf Fall Apart?

There are many reasons that they meatloaf you made could fall apart:

• You may not have used enough breadcrumbs – they are the ingredient that helps bind it together, so it is pretty important to add a lot of it.
• It is probably over baked. It gets ready in 55 minutes to an hour and should not be left in the oven any longer.
• You might have sliced it when it was just out of the oven. You need to leave it for at least 10 minutes and only then slice into it.

The Best sides to go with your Meatloaf! 

These are some of the most popular and yummiest sides that go well with meatloaf.

• Miso Roasted Carrots
• Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Zucchini Carrot Tater tots
• Cauliflower Tater tots
• Sweet potato fries
• Potato Wedges
• Mashed Potato
• Healthy Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime Dressing

How to keep the Meatloaf moist? 

The milk, ketchup, eggs and diced onion in the meat help to make the meatloaf moist and tasty.

Moreover the Meatloaf Sauce makes the meatloaf moist.

Is adding Milk necessary?

The milk gets absorbed by the breadcrumbs and helps to keep the meatloaf moist. This is the most basic reason why I prefer adding milk to meatloaf.

If you don't want milk, you can replace it with low sodium chicken stock or beef stock or water or any non-dairy milk substitute.

Should I cook it covered or uncovered? Does it really make a difference?

Though some recipes say to keep it covered so that it stays moist, for this recipe you can leave it uncovered. It does not get dry and stay moist. 

This recipe is very easy to make. It does not take much time and gets ready pretty fast. Once it is in the oven, turn on a timer and you can go do other work you have. 

What does adding egg to Meatloaf do?

Egg yolk has FOUR basic functions in a meatloaf recipe.

1. Makes it Moist
2. Makes it rich and Flavorful.
3. Increases the Fat and Protein Count in the recipe.
4. Holds the meatloaf together (in other words - binds the meat)

What's the best pan to cook meatloaf in?

There's a lot of controversy going around the pan that you should bake your meatloaf in? Some prefer a Loaf Pan and Some prefer a baking dish.

But, the main idea is to use a large loaf pan so that the glaze stays in the pan and makes the meatloaf juicier.

Can you make meatloaf ahead of time and bake later?

Yes. Absolutely. Meatloaf is an excellent make ahead recipe. You can assemble it ahead of time. Wrap it in a foil or plastic wrap. Store it overnight in the fridge and bake the next day.

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