Old World Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meatloaf

From the story: Egg-pocalypse Now: Cracking The Chicken-Egg Conundrum.

Meatloaf is a dish that we tend to prefer the way our mothers made it, but everyone I have ever served this recipe to has always raved about it. This recipe has been passed down to me from my mother, who inherited it from her mother in the Old World. I have added a few extra ingredients to update it, and I personally use gluten-free Italian bread crumbs or Italian-style panko. The recipe yields a large meatloaf, but you can divide the mixture into smaller loaves and freeze them for later use.

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Old World Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meatloaf

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Old World

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
• ¾ cup ketchup (for mixture)
• ⅛ cup ketchup (for topping)
• 2 small eggs
• 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
• ¼ medium carrot
• 1 teaspoon salt Kosher, Himalayan, or Celtic
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (can use gluten-free or Italian-style fine panko)
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place ground beef in large bowl and set aside.
• In a blender, combine the ¾ cup ketchup, eggs, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Blend until the mixture is evenly combined and has a paste-like consistency.
• Pour the mixture into the ground beef and mix thoroughly. It should have a loose consistency.
• Add breadcrumbs (or fine panko) and mix well, ensuring that the mixture holds together but does not become hard. If the mixture is still too loose, you can add additional breadcrumbs (or fine panko).
• Adjust the seasoning if necessary (to your taste). Mix well.
• Shape the mixture into a loaf and place it on the prepared baking sheet. (Can divide into smaller individual loafs if desired).
• Cover loaf/s with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil and spread the remaining ⅛ cup ketchup evenly over the top of the partially baked loaf.
• Continue baking without the foil for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160℉.
• Remove from oven and let meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

This recipe is quite delicious as is, but feel free to add other seasonings such as thyme or rosemary for extra flavor.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.