Description
Paula Deen’s hearty meatloaf blends ground beef, onions, and classic seasonings into a comforting Southern classic. Home cooks can easily create this satisfying main dish with simple ingredients and straightforward preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) hamburger, lean
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 1 cup (120 g) bread crumbs
- 2 tbsps (30 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) ketchup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
- 2 tsps minced garlic
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F and coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, creating a perfect cooking surface.
- Mixing: Combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, onions, and seasonings in a large bowl, blending gently to maintain a light, tender texture without compressing the mixture.
- Shaping: Form the meat mixture into a consistent, compact loaf, ensuring even thickness and smooth edges before transferring to the prepared baking pan.
- Sauce Creation: In a saucepan, merge sauce ingredients over medium heat, stirring until the mixture reaches a vigorous boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to develop deep, rich flavors.
- Initial Glazing: Lavish half the sauce across the meatloaf’s surface, creating a flavorful initial coating before the first baking phase.
- First Bake: Position the meatloaf in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes, allowing initial flavor development and partial cooking.
- Final Glazing and Baking: Remove from oven, drain excess fat, and generously apply remaining sauce. Return to oven and continue baking for 40-45 minutes until the internal temperature hits 160°F, ensuring complete and safe cooking.
- Resting and Serving: Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10-15 minutes, enabling juice redistribution and maintaining optimal moisture. Slice and serve warm, offering additional sauce on the side for those desiring extra flavor.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose a blend of ground beef with 80/20 fat ratio for optimal moisture and rich flavor without excessive greasiness.
- Mixing Technique: Gently combine ingredients using fingertips or fork to prevent compacting meat, which keeps the texture light and tender.
- Sauce Consistency Control: Simmer sauce until slightly thickened to enhance coating and prevent watery texture on meatloaf surface.
- Temperature Precision: Use a meat thermometer to confirm internal temperature reaches 160°F, guaranteeing safe and perfectly cooked meatloaf every time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg