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Classic Beef Meatloaf

Classic Beef Meatloaf

The ultimate comfort food, Classic Beef Meatloaf brings together hearty flavors and a delightful texture. This easy weeknight dinner is perfect for the whole family and is sure to become a favorite in your home. Make it tonight!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds ground beef 85/15
  • 4 slices white bread cut into small cubes
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¼ cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • ¼ cup celery finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Equipment

  • Poultry Seasoning
  • large mixing bowl
  • Baking Sheet Pan

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with foil. This makes cleanup a breeze! Place it aside for now.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, cubed bread, eggs, milk, chopped onion, chopped celery, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, dried poultry seasoning, and black pepper. It's important to mix these ingredients well, so your meatloaf is flavorful throughout.
  3. Using your hands, mix everything together until well combined. The meat is usually cold, so you might want to take a few breaks to warm your hands. You can also use a silicone spatula, but I believe mixing by hand helps incorporate everything better.
  4. Once the meat mixture is ready, transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Form it into a loaf shape, about 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. This helps it cook evenly!
  5. Now, place your meatloaf in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. You'll want to keep an eye on it, as it should begin to brown nicely.
  6. After the first hour of baking, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, corn syrup, and brown sugar until smooth. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
  7. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until it feels firm. The internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F to ensure it’s fully cooked.
  8. Once cooked, remove the meatloaf from the oven, and let it rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, making it more flavorful.
  9. Slice the meatloaf into portions and enjoy! It’s perfect for dinner or even as a delicious sandwich the next day.
  10. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You’ll find it tastes just as good the next day!

Notes

  • Tip 1: If you don’t want to use light corn syrup in the ketchup mixture, add more brown sugar or leave it out altogether. How sweet you like your ketchup mixture can vary from person to person.
  • Tip 2: I like to use 85/15 or 90/10 for my meatloaf. It would be best to have some fat so the meatloaf does not dry out while baking. 80/20 makes a good meatloaf, too, but it will give off more fat.
  • Tip 3: I like to line my baking sheet with foil as it’s much easier to clean up. The foil will catch all the fat from the meatloaf while baking.
  • Tip 4: Dried poultry seasoning typically consists of sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg, and black pepper.
  • Tip 5: I like to use simple sliced bread like Wonder Bread. If you’re using much larger slices (think Pepperidge Farm style bread, which tends to be much larger than traditional bread), then you’ll use three slices instead.
  • Tip 6: Meatloaf is fully cooked at 160 degrees F internally.