This Is The Ultimate Bachelor Meatloaf Recipe
There is nothing better than your mom’s homemade meatloaf. When I think of my Ma’s meatloaf, I’m rushed with a feeling of savory, meaty comfort. All that saucy, juicy meat combined into one delicious masterpiece…I’m salivating just talking about it.
It seems so simple until you try to make one and realize that there is a lot more to it. If you have ever tried to make your Ma’s meatloaf before, I almost guarantee it did not taste the same as hers. There is some sort of magic in that stuff! When I moved out, my mom’s meatloaf recipe was a must-take item on my list. I was not leaving without that recipe. On my way out the door, she gave me three frozen meatloaves and the recipe. “It’s easy, you can’t go wrong,” she told me.
I made this recipe a dozen times, and each time I was deeply disappointed. I could not get this recipe right! After several calls to my mother to make sure the recipe was right, I decided to physically go to her and watch her make the loaf. I watched start to finish. I honestly didn’t take my eyes off the woman! But, after my final attempt, it was clear I would never make a meatloaf like Ma’s.
Where’s The Meatloaf?
I finished my last frozen meatloaf from my mom and started searching the web for alternatives. There had to be another bachelor out there with the same problem. The internet was full of different meatloaf ideas, so I gave it another go.
My meatloaf dreams came true. After watching a hundred videos online and narrowing down the most important ingredients, I finally formed the perfect, meaty, saucy, flavorful meatloaf recipe. And… it worked! This loaf was so good; it might even be better than my Ma’s. (shhhhh). The recipe was easy and didn’t have any unknown or out of reach ingredients.
The Recipe
First off, you’ll want to set aside 15 minutes for prep work and 1 hour for cooking time. That’s right, 15 minutes of work before you can go back and wait on the couch and watch Neflix while you wait for that meaty goodness to cook. Let it sit for 5 extra minutes before you cut it up…if you can wait.
The ingredient list:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Honey Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoons steak sauce
- 1/4 cup Ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease up your loaf pan. If you don’t want to waste time scrubbing that pan later, line it with tin foil before greasing.
In a mixing bowl, add the ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, steak sauce, milk, and bread crumbs. Use your hands to mix it all together well.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar to form the glaze. The mixed mustard flavors will blow your mind!
Transfer your meat mixture into the loaf pan and pat it down well to form your shape.
Pour the sauce over the loaf and spread it out evenly around the top and sides.
Put it in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until done.
Wait 5 minutes to cut and serve.
Stock Up The Freezer
Now that I nailed the recipe, I wanted to make sure I had a bunch of these meatloaves on hand. I made four batches and stocked them away in my freezer. You can freeze your meatloaf raw or cooked. A raw meatloaf will last up to 6 months in your freezer, while a cooked meatloaf will only last 3-4 months. I found it tastes fresher if you freeze them raw.
Just prepare the loaf without the top sauce and wrap it tightly to prevent any contamination from raw meat and freezer burn. Airtight bags around a disposable loaf pan works well for this. When you’re ready for another meatloaf, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to defrost fully. Regardless if your meat was pre-cooked or raw, the meat will need to defrost before going in your oven. A raw meatloaf will need 1 hour to cook at 350. A cooked meatloaf will take 25-30 minutes to re-heat at 350.
This recipe was easy, straightforward, and tasty. It might not be ma’s meatloaf, but it works for me. Enjoy folks!
Jesse Tellier
