Sharing My Passion for Real Food Made at Home

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Meatloaf is a wholesome, go-to comfort food for lots of people. Give my recipe a try, you will not regret it!

My meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy on the inside with a sweet and tangy topping.  This is a traditional meatloaf made with ground beef, pork , veal and lamb, breadcrumbs, onions, and balanced seasonings.  A tomato-based topping adds flavor.

I think the Key to good meatloaf is using lean ground meat. The problem with a lot of meatloaf recipes is that they call for ground meat with a high fat content.  As the meatloaf cooks, the fat cooks out and makes a mess.

The Big Q: You may be thinking, but won’t lean ground meat make the meatloaf dry?  

The Big A: Not at all, as the milk, egg, ketchup, and diced onion in the meat mixture are all working to keep the meatloaf moist and delicious.

Some recipes call for covering the loaf pan with aluminum foil before baking to keep the moisture in.  This is not necessary in my recipe.  Bake uncovered in 375f oven for the entire 60 mins, it will stay moist.

Notes: I have been playing around with this recipe for 50yrs, making it many times.  And, I did not mind the repetition at all because I do believe I ended up with the best classic meatloaf recipe ever. There is only 1 meatloaf you need to master!

The different meats: veal, lamb, beef and pork are kept separate and layered in the pan so when the meatloaf is cooked.

Use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, preferably perforated, to manage the grease runoff.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups yellow onion (about 2 medium), finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces, not fresh mozzarella)
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 pound chopped ground beef
• 1 pound chopped ground pork
• 1 pound chopped ground lamb
• 1 pound chopped ground veal
• 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs, recipe for homemade below or store-bought
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought

Directions

For Italian-Style bread crumbs:

1. To make 1 cup of Italian-style breadcrumbs, start with 1 cup finely ground fresh white breadcrumbs.
2. Spread them out on a baking sheet and lightly toast in a 325°F oven until they are golden.
3. Let them cool to room temperature, then mix the toasted breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano.

For the meatloaf:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it slides easily in the pan, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella, pecorino and parsley.
5. Put the beef, pork, lamb and veal in separate bowls
6. To each bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and 1 egg.
7. Divide the onion and garlic evenly among the bowls.
8. Add 1 teaspoon of paprika each to the bowls with the beef and lamb.
9. Use your hands to gently combine each meat with the other ingredients, working it just enough to combine.
10. Put the beef into the loaf pan and pat it down with a rubber spatula to create a flat, even surface.
11. Sprinkle one-third of the parsley-cheese mixture over the beef.
12. Put the pork on top of the beef.
13. Smooth it out in the same way you did the beef and top it with another one-third of the parsley-cheese mixture.
14. Repeat with the lamb, topping it with the remaining parsley-cheese mixture, and finish with a layer of the veal.
15. Put the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour.
16. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spoon the tomato sauce over the top, spreading it over the surface of the meatloaf.
17. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°F, about 30 minutes.
18. Take the meatloaf out of the oven. If you are not using a perforated pan, using oven mitts, tilt the pan to drain off the excess fat.
19. Let the meatloaf rest in the pan for at least 15 minutes, remove the meatloaf to a cutting board and slice it.

I like it with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or shiraz

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively