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Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf Recipe

Make this Meatloaf Recipe for a glossy, tender loaf with a sweet-tangy glaze and flavorful aromatics.

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Sauté the aromatics and caramelize the tomato paste

Warm a medium skillet result on the table: melted unsalted butter and olive oil have already been combined and used, and the finished onion-garlic-thyme mixture has been transferred to a small shallow matte-white bowl to cool to lukewarm. The onion pieces are soft and translucent with delicate golden edges, flecked with bright green thyme and tiny brown pearls of caramelized tomato paste that has darkened and taken on a sweet, almost jammy sheen. Smell of sweet onion and toasted tomato hangs in the air as the mixture rests and cools to room temperature before joining the meat.


Step 2: Make the panade (milk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire, breadcrumbs)

In a large matte-grey ceramic mixing bowl, whisk whole milk and eggs until homogeneous, then whisk in Dijon mustard and Worcestershire so the liquid is smooth and slightly glossy. Fold in the fresh breadcrumbs until every crumb is evenly moistened; the mixture swells and becomes spongey, holding its shape a little when lifted with the whisk. Let it sit briefly until it thickens—an elastic, sticky batter that will anchor the meat and keep the loaf tender. A stainless whisk rests across the rim, speckled with breadcrumb bits.


Step 3: Combine the cooled aromatics, cheese and herbs with the panade

Add the lukewarm onion-tomato mixture to the panade in the same matte-grey bowl, then stir in finely grated Parmesan and finely chopped parsley. Sprinkle the remaining kosher salt and cracked black pepper and fold gently until the mix is homogeneous: a thick, cohesive, slightly glossy mass flecked with green parsley, pale cheese strands, and warm brown tomato streaks. The texture reads dense but yielding, the scent now savory, herbaceous and slightly sweet from the caramelized paste.


Step 4: Add the chilled ground beef and form the loaf

Scatter the chilled ground beef into the bowl and, using clean utensils, gently fold until there are no large streaks of plain meat—stop as soon as the mixture looks even. Transfer the mixture onto the prepared parchment-lined rectangular rimmed baking sheet and shape it into a tight, even loaf: rectangular, smooth-sided, about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide, with a taut surface and no cracks. Keep the same matte-grey bowl and a small dipping bowl nearby for the glaze; a small spoon sits beside them. The raw loaf is firm, slightly tacky, and ready for its first glaze coat.


Step 5: Glaze and bake to an even, glossy finish

Whisk together ketchup, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire and smoked paprika into a smooth, glossy glaze in a small white ramekin. Spoon about half the glaze over the shaped loaf, spreading a thin, even layer that catches in the seams and shows brush strokes. (The oven itself is not shown.) After an initial bake the glaze will set and darken faintly at the edges; after a second, thicker layer it becomes richly caramelized. If the glaze darkens too quickly, tent loosely with foil until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C); the surface should feel set but yielding when done.

Step 6: Rest, slice and serve

After removing the loaf and tenting it loosely, let it rest so juices redistribute and the sliceability improves. Transfer the meatloaf to a rectangular serving platter and slice into clean 3/4-inch thick pieces with a serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts for neat edges. Arrange slices slightly overlapping, spoon a little pan juice over each, and finish with a scattering of chopped fresh parsley for brightness. The cross-section reveals a moist, fine crumb studded with herbs and Parmesan, and a deeply glossy, slightly caramelized glaze on top.


Notes