Meatloaf Recipe with the Best Glaze (2024)

FAQs

What can you put on top of meatloaf besides ketchup? ›

Eggs Add Structure

Egg yolks, which are mostly water but contain a good amount of protein and fat, add flavor, richness, and moisture. They also help bind the meat together and get the loaf to set in a stable form without the need to overwork the meat.

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

The wet ingredients you add to meatloaf make it juicy. Using whole milk will add more richness and fat that keeps it from going dry. Along with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, it gives meatloaf a marvelous texture.

In essence, it boils down to a few simple steps: Combine ground meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, and other flavorful ingredients of your choice. Put this mixture in a lightly greased loaf pan and bake it until it's cooked through.

Binders like eggs or breadcrumbs will certainly help to keep your meatloaf together.

This quick and easy glaze is made with just 3 ingredients including BBQ sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar, and the option of adding a bit more tang, or spice to it. It comes together in minutes and makes an amazing meatloaf topping sauce that'll make you want to lick the spoon!

Milk adds richness and moisture, while the bread helps keep the meatloaf texture softer. So, omitting milk would omit some creaminess and moisture. Those can be easily subbed out by many other ingredients like chicken stock, cream, butter, etc.

Milk is typically added to meatloaf to soak up the bread crumbs, bind the ingredients together, and add the needed moisture so it's nice and tender. But if you're looking for a more rich flavor, then heavy cream is the way to go. Meatloaf isn't meatloaf without the staples of onions, breadcrumbs, and eggs.

What happens if you put too much milk in meatloaf? ›

Too Much Liquid

One of the most common reasons meatloaf is watery is an overabundance of liquid ingredients. Adding broth, milk, or eggs can enhance flavor and moisture, but too much can lead to a soupy consistency. Use these ingredients sparingly, and consider adding breadcrumbs or oats to absorb excess moisture.

The oven temperature is typically set at 350 degrees F for making meatloaf. That's the temperature you want to be sure to use so the meatloaf cooks and doesn't dry out. Too high, and the outer crust will burn before the interior is cooked all the way, too low and you don't get that delicious crust.

You can determine whether or not it's fully cooked by sticking an internal thermometer into the center of the loaf. If the meatloaf is over 160°F, or 165°F if you used chicken or turkey, it's fully cooked and safe to consume even if it's still pink inside.

Press mixture in ungreased 8-inch round (1 1/2-quart) glass baking dish. Bake at 350°F. for 65 to 75 minutes or until thoroughly cooked in center and meat thermometer registers 160°F.

When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rice, barley, corn flakes, crackers, and dried soup mix can also stand in as binding ingredients as well. Including larger quantities of these items should help solve the problem.

Use Extra Egg: Eggs act as binders and provide moisture. Add one or two eggs per pound of meat for a moist texture. Make Use of Milk: Soak breadcrumbs in milk before adding them to your mixture. This will keep your meatloaf moist during baking.