Family Meatloaf
Meatloaf got a bad reputation from dry, dense versions. The fix is a panade for moisture, a light hand when mixing, and not overbaking it. This one slices cleanly and holds together for sandwiches the next day.
- Cut
- Ground Beef
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Serves
- 6
- Season
- Year-Round
- Method
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 lb Alaron Farms ground beef
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
What You'll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Loaf pan or rimmed sheet pan
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Small bowl for the glaze
Before You Start
- Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Stir the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar together for the glaze.
Method
- 01
Mix lightly
Combine the soaked breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Add the beef and mix with your hands just until combined — overmixing compacts the meat and makes a dense loaf.
- 02
Shape
Form into a loaf and place it in the pan, or shape it free-form on a parchment-lined sheet pan for more glazed surface area.
- 03
Bake
Bake 45 minutes, then pull it out and spoon the glaze over the top.
- 04
Glaze and finish
Return to the oven for 15–20 minutes more, until the center reads 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Follow the USDA's current minimum internal temperature recommendation for ground beef.
- 05
Rest before slicing
Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute. Cutting immediately gives you crumbles instead of slices.
Kitchen Notes
- The panade — breadcrumbs soaked in milk — is what keeps meatloaf moist. Don't skip it.
- A free-form loaf on a sheet pan gives you glaze on three sides instead of one.
- For food-safety guidance, ground beef should be cooked through — follow the USDA's current minimum internal temperature recommendation for ground beef.
- Cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day are arguably the point of the whole exercise.
How to Serve It
- Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.
- Extra glaze on the side for anyone who wants more.
- Slices reheat well and make excellent sandwiches with a little mustard.
Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.
- Freeze slices or the whole loaf up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat slices covered at 325°F, or gently in a skillet.
Using Another Cut?
Ground Beef + Ground Pork
A 50/50 blend gives a slightly richer loaf; keep the rest the same.
More recipes with this cut
Farmhouse Smash Burgers
Thin patties pressed hard onto a screaming-hot griddle for maximum crust — the burger that made ground beef interesting again.
Weeknight Beef Tacos
Seasoned ground beef, warm tortillas and a table everyone builds themselves — dinner in twenty minutes with almost no cleanup.
Homestyle Beef Meatballs
Tender, well-seasoned meatballs that hold together in sauce and taste even better the next day.
Ground Beef, delivered from the farm.
Choose the Alaron Farms box that fits your household, set your delivery rhythm and tell us how your family likes to cook.