Why can't I make meatloaf?

[bolt.]

Every time I try to make meatloaf I end up with something far too soft, crumbly and not very meaty or flavourful at all. I must be trying to sneak in too many veggies and fillers (oats, etc), but isn't that kinda what meatloaf is for? Stretching the meat component and adding good stuff?

 

Share your recipes if you can, and I will see what I can do with my attempt this afternoon.

[MissKNG]

Vegetarian here! I use this recipe (modified) and it is an absolute HIT with dh (picky meatloaf eater):

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brown-sugar-meatloaf/

 

I omit the ginger and I use Italian bread crumbs instead of the crackers. I also use the onion when I have onion, so I've made it with and without. I don't measure the sugar - I just pat enough to cover the bottom of the pan then I squirt ketchup on it (no measuring again). Always a hit!

[Catwoman]

Every time I try to make meatloaf I end up with something far too soft, crumbly and not very meaty or flavourful at all. I must be trying to sneak in too many veggies and fillers (oats, etc), but isn't that kinda what meatloaf is for? Stretching the meat component and adding good stuff?

 

Share your recipes if you can, and I will see what I can do with my attempt this afternoon.

You know we need to see your meatloaf recipe so we can comment on it, right? :D

[BarbecueMom]

Mine is usually like that, except last time I put the loaf pan in my crockpot and baked it in there (broken oven). First time I've ever had a meatloaf that sliced.

[Lady Florida.]

It's possible that you're trying to add to much to it. Too much bread or bread crumbs will also make it fall apart. Do you use eggs? They are a natural binder and help hold it together.

 

Catwoman is right. We'd need to see the recipe to know where the problem is.

[mlbuchina]

My kids go back for seconds with this recipe (and you can make it in the crock pot)

 

Best Meatloaf You'll Ever Eat! (That's really the name. Lol)

 

2 lbs hamburger meat

1/2 - 1 cup Italian bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Up to 1/4 cup water

1 package brown gravy mix (that makes 2 cups)

 

Topping

1 cup water

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 of the package of brown gravy mix

 

Put hamburger, bread crumbs, eggs, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Add up to 1/4 cup water if needed. Put 1/2 package of brown gravy mix in and mix well. Pat into a bowl shape, and put in crock pot, leaving about 1 inch space from the side. Pat firmly, so it doesn't fall apart. (You can also put it in a loaf pan and cook it in the oven.)

 

In a bowl, take the other half of the brown gravy mix, 1 cup water, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and mix well. Pour over meatloaf in crock pot. (If cooking in oven, only add a little water to the mix, and then pour on top of meatloaf.)

 

Cover and cook 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low. (When I cook it in the oven, I cook it at 350 or 375 until my meat thermometer reads over 160.)

 

If you want more Italian flavor, you can add 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp thyme to the meat, and about half a tsp of each to the topping.

 

I know the ingredients sound a little weird, at least they did to me when I first saw the recipe, but it really is very good. When the kids ask what's for dinner, and I say meatloaf, they have been known to run through the house screaming, "Yay!" LOL

[Seasider]

Oh, I am having the same dilemma after a meatloaf fail last night.

 

The way my family likes it: two pounds of choice beef mashed up with chopped onion, salt, pepper and garlic, topped with ketchup. Yes, you've got it - they basically want a giant hamburger.

 

Neither my budget nor my cholesterol level can afford that. ðŸ˜

 

Last night I tried one with mashed black beans and oatmeal stretching the beef. I won't say it's awful, but my picky family needs something somewhere in the middle. I would love to see some tried and true recipes from the hive.

[TammyinTN]

I make these several times a month and they are delicious!  

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/meatloaf-muffins-with-barbecue-sauce-recipe/index.html

[J-rap]

I think you're trying to add too much.  I've done that before plenty of times.  I wonder if adding an extra egg would help?

[Mrs Mungo]

I make this meatloaf from Alton Brown:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-meat-loaf-recipe/index.html

 

It has quite a few veggies, but it sticks together (note: you do cook the veggies and drain the liquid from them before mixing them in). You'll note that he doesn't cook it in a loaf pan. He forms it, then turns it out onto a baking sheet. I do that, but I actually make 4 small loaves. It cooks faster that way, and the fat is mostly rendered out as it cooks.

[PrincessMommy]

I know she's a bit of a four-letter word these days but Paula Deen's bbq meatloaf is excellent.    I've never put veggies in my meat-loaf, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a recipe doing that, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

America's Test Kitchen Meatloaf.  The only one you'll ever need.  I don't do the bacon wrap, but I do the ketchup glaze.  Insanely good.

[AmandaVT]

I used to use Alton's recipe (up above) or Ina Garten's turkey meatloaf. I think meatloaf cooks better and cuts better when you cook it on parchment on a cookie sheet rather than a loaf pan. I sneak in lots of veggies too!

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/turkey-meatloaf-recipe/index.html

 

(I add finely diced carrot and celery to both)

[Chris in VA]

I like America's Test Kitchen all beef meatloaf, but it's...fussy.

 

So I use (approximate recipe)

 

1.5 lb hamburger

2 eggs (one if you just use a pound of meat)

a couple good squirts of ketchup

about a tablespoon of Worchestshire

maybe 1 tsp of garlic powder

a small chopped onion 

Mix it together, then add

a good bit of bread crumbs--maybe 3/4 cup? If it's soppy, add more. Just start with maybe 1/2 cup

 

I form it into a ring because it'll cook in half an hour.

 

I glaze it with ketchup and maybe a little more W sauce, spread on the top. 

[MarinesWife]

This makes a lot but I use 3 lbs hamburger, one bag Pepperidge Farm blue bag stuffing, a bottle of sweet and sour sauce, a cup or so of ketchup, a couple eggs, seasoning salt. 

 

Yum Yum  :)

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I struggle now making meatloaf, only because I can't use eggs anymore as a binder.

 

What recipe were you using?

[zoobie]

The best meatloaf I've made or had is Barefoot Contessa's recipe. It has very little filler. I use a 1/2 cup measure that's oval to make mini meat loaves so it cooks faster and everyone gets crust. I've made in muffin tins too. Maybe an extra egg would help hold yours together?

[Soror]

I've used the Alton Brown recipe the last two times I've made meatloaf(using gf breadcrumbs) and we all really enjoyed it. I think it is good w/ out anything added but the kids like a glaze.

[AlmiraGulch]

I love meat loaf.  And now I want some.

[Scarlett]

I make a delicious meatloaf but it isn't that inexpensive to make.  Calls for high quality low fat ground sirloin, and some ground pork...and it has break crumbs soaked in milk and celery and onions and shredded carrots and egg...and some delicious seasonings...covered in bacon and a tomato/brown sugar/mustard sauce....it is yummy.

 

I better way to stretch ground beef to me is a shepards pie.  My family loves it and it goes a long way.

[Scuff]

My family loves mine. A pount of hamburger, mixed with a small can of tomato sauce, diced onion, a bit of milk, 2 eggs, and oatmeal.

[Berta]

Mine is usually like that, except last time I put the loaf pan in my crockpot and baked it in there (broken oven). First time I've ever had a meatloaf that sliced.

 

I don't have a working oven either and cook it in either my solar oven or the crock pot. Comes out moist and sooo good. I'm going to try that first recipe with the brown sugar in the bottom of the pan. I was planning on making meatloaf tomorrow.

 

[trulycrabby]

Two pounds ground beef or bison

Two slices of whole wheat bread or sprouted bread

Two eggs

1/2 minced onion

1/4-1/2 cup salsa

 

Easy peasy, and delicious!

[applethyme]

If your meatloaf is not holding together you need more binding.  Add an extra egg or two.  For 1/12lbs of ground beef I add 3 eggs and 3/4cup oatmeal and 1 cup of chopped carrots and onions.  Depending on my mood I either add a can of cream of mushroom soup or package of lipton onion soup and 1/4 c water or 8oz of tomato sauce.  Then I cook it in the crockpot or oven.  I like the flexibility of this meal.

[KungFuPanda]

I LOVE Alton Brown's recipe, but DH accused me of making a veggie loaf. I switched to Pioneer Woman's recipe. Not a veggie in sight. That sucker is wrapped in bacon. It was sinfully delicious, but the cooking

time was way off for me. It took almost twice as long for me to cook it. Just use a thermometer and you'll be OK.

[TrixieB]

The recipe my mom has always used:

 

1.5 lbs ground beef

2 cups torn up bread (3-4 slices)

1 egg, beaten

1.5 cups milk (I like whole, Mom uses 2%)

finely chopped onion (however much you prefer to use)

1 clove chopped or pressed garlic

2 tsp salt

a few shakes of pepper if you like

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Grease 9x5 loaf pan.

 

Mix milk & egg.  Add other ingredients & mix well.  Put in loaf pan and bake for 1.5 hours.  Remove from oven, pour off excess fat, cover with foil and let stand a few minutes.

 

Slice & serve.

 

I just made this meatloaf with Udi's GF bread (3.5 slices) and it tasted great and held together just like it does with regular bread.

[TechWife]

Can I just say that I find meatloaf to be very unappealing? I don't think I've had any in 20 years & I don't miss it. You'll not find one in our house! 

[KungFuPanda]

I bake my meatloaf as a free-form loaf on a broiler pan. This takes care of the grease and cuts down on the possibility of mushiness.

[LaCEmom]

I make mine in muffin tins using this recipe. I'm not overly fond of the texture of meatloaf, but the muffin tins really help.

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Meatloaf-Muffins/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=meatloaf%20muffins&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1

[TechWife]

It's not you, it's just meatloaf.  Meatloaf is gross. 

 

How's that for an answer?!  :laugh:

 

Exactly right! 

[Lady Florida.]

 You'll note that he doesn't cook it in a loaf pan. He forms it, then turns it out onto a baking sheet. I do that, but I actually make 4 small loaves. It cooks faster that way, and the fat is mostly rendered out as it cooks.

 

My mother never made hers in a loaf pan, so I don't use a loaf pan for mine. I never asked her why so I have no idea. It was probably one of those simple things, like she didn't have a loaf pan when she first married. I was well into adulthood before I knew people used loaf pans to make meatloaf. It was a duh moment for me, realizing that's why it's called meat loaf. I prefer to free form shape it and cook it on a baking pan. I also don't glaze mine. I don't like glaze on it.

 

I love meat loaf.  And now I want some.

 

I love it too, but for some reason I never think to make it. We usually only have it when dh or ds request it, and then I remember, "Oh yeah, we love meatloaf."

[Scarlett]

My mother never made hers in a loaf pan, so I don't use a loaf pan for mine. I never asked her why so I have no idea. It was probably one of those simple things, like she didn't have a loaf pan when she first married. I was well into adulthood before I knew people used loaf pans to make meatloaf. It was a duh moment for me, realizing that's why it's called meat loaf. I prefer to free form shape it and cook it on a baking pan. I also don't glaze mine. I don't like glaze on it.

 

 

I love it too, but for some reason I never think to make it. We usually only have it when dh or ds request it, and then I remember, "Oh yeah, we love meatloaf."

I love it too. And I especially love the leftovers.....sliced up and fried for sandwiches.

[Susan C.]

We like this one, its from an older Southern Living magazine:

 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/simple-meatloaf-10000001254930/

[Donna]

America's Test Kitchens has a great meatloaf recipe my family loves.

[Lolly]

Every time I try to make meatloaf I end up with something far too soft, crumbly and not very meaty or flavourful at all. I must be trying to sneak in too many veggies and fillers (oats, etc), but isn't that kinda what meatloaf is for? Stretching the meat component and adding good stuff?

 

Share your recipes if you can, and I will see what I can do with my attempt this afternoon.

 

Ah, see, the problem is that you have the wrong purpose for the meatloaf. The purpose for a meatloaf is to eat meat. Not veggies and fillers. I have no straight recipe; I just follow my gut. I use as low fat a hamburger meat as possible. some bread crumbs, eggs, and some spices (which vary according to my whims). 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

I struggle now making meatloaf, only because I can't use eggs anymore as a binder.

 

What recipe were you using?

 

I haven't tried it sans-egg, but according to the teeny bits of molecular sciency stuff I've heard, you want to allow the meat proteins to curl and tighten back up after mixing, so just refrigerating the mix for a while before baking might do it.  Messing about with the bread crumb content, or adding oats, has been cited, but it's prob easy to make it too dense.  Soaking bread in milk can work, too.  With the ATK loaf, it's one egg, which isn't a whole lot to replace.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

It's not you, it's just meatloaf.  Meatloaf is gross. 

 

How's that for an answer?!  :laugh:

 

You just need to use more black truffle oil. 

[kbutton]

I like America's Test Kitchen all beef meatloaf, but it's...fussy.

 

So I use (approximate recipe)

 

1.5 lb hamburger

2 eggs (one if you just use a pound of meat)

a couple good squirts of ketchup

about a tablespoon of Worchestshire

maybe 1 tsp of garlic powder

a small chopped onion 

Mix it together, then add

a good bit of bread crumbs--maybe 3/4 cup? If it's soppy, add more. Just start with maybe 1/2 cup

 

I form it into a ring because it'll cook in half an hour.

 

I glaze it with ketchup and maybe a little more W sauce, spread on the top. 

 

Meatloaf is for meat! This is basically what my family has always done (no garlic), but we use oats (start with 1/2 cup). Now that I am gluten free, it's essential to use GF oats. Quick are better than old-fashioned. Mom leaves the egg out for the allergic folks, but she'll put in a squirt of milk. It is looser, but it's usually not too crumbly without egg. People beg my mother to make meatloaf when they are coming over. Of course, that might also be because she puts tomato/carrot sauce around it like a moat at the end...

 

Sliced carrots

Sliced onions

Tomato soup (For GF version, mix plain tomato sauce or paste into some bone broth--it needs to have some gel to it. If it's not heavily flavored, even chicken broth works.)

The correct ratio of carrots to soup is saucy carrots, not soupy carrots. You can make the soup as specified on the can, or you can tinker to see whether you like it thicker or thinner. We usually use a couple of pounds of carrots and maybe two regular sized cans of soup.

 

Cook the soup until the veggies are tender on the stove top, and then add it to the meatloaf near the end of the cooking time--the soup and meatloaf need to flavor one another a bit. Don't cover the meatloaf or you lose the crispy top. Serve it all on or with mashed potatoes.

 

I once served this to a group of college students (all girls). Once they got past the "this is different" factor, they all but licked their plates and the serving dishes. They ate until they started apologizing for being pigs. That's usually the response my mom gets as well with her guests.

 

Using venison for half the meat is also yummy!

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Everything from ATK is fussy if you really geek out on all the background science.  I will say a meatloaf mix (pork/veal/beef) yields a better loaf than straight beef.  I love my grass fed ground for everything else, but for a loaf I'll get 80% in a store brand mix and keep telling myself the other ingredients I use will counter any bovine growth hormones.

[SailorMom]

Mine always turns out pretty good (eating some now....), but I've never thought of it as a way to "stretch" anything. 

I use 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sausage, 1 package onion soup mix, about 4 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 eggs, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of bread crumbs, and 1 8oz can of tomato sauce.  Sometimes we top it with bacon.... 

I form it into a 3 inch think "slab" on a broiling pan (no greasy mess), 350 F for about an hour.

 

To "stretch" meat, I think better recipes are chili, stuffed bell peppers, any kind of pasta or rice casserole thing...