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Classic Meatloaf

A milk soaked panade keeps this ground beef loaf tender, with a caramelized ketchup glaze and a precise pull temperature so every slice holds.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs 900 g ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 cup 60 g panko breadcrumbs
  • ⅔ cup 160 ml whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small yellow onion grated (about 1 cup / 150 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp 10 ml Worcestershire sauce
  • 1½ tsp 9 g kosher salt
  • ½ tsp 2 g black pepper
  • ½ cup 120 g ketchup
  • 3 tbsp 45 g packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp 15 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp 5 ml Worcestershire sauce

Method
 

  1. Soak the panko in the milk for 5 minutes until it forms a thick paste.
  2. Add the beef, egg, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand 30 seconds, no longer.
  3. Shape into an 8 by 4 inch loaf on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet.
  4. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 40 minutes.
  5. Warm the glaze ingredients in a saucepan 2 minutes and brush half over the loaf.
  6. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes, adding a second thin glaze coat in the last 5 minutes.
  7. Pull at an internal temperature of 155°F (68°C).
  8. Rest 10 minutes under foil before slicing.

Notes

Grate the onion rather than dicing it, a diced onion leaves small wet pockets in the finished slice.
A 2 pound loaf serves 6 generously with leftovers for sandwiches the next day.
The raw loaf can be shaped a day ahead and refrigerated unbaked, it slices even cleaner than one baked same day.
Storage Notes:
Refrigerate sliced or whole in a sealed container up to 4 days.
Freeze wrapped slices up to 3 months, or freeze the raw shaped loaf before baking.
Reheat covered at 300°F (150°C) for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F (74°C).