Mega meatloaf | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart? ›

Alternatively, rice, barley, corn flakes, crackers, and dried soup mix can also stand in as binding ingredients as well.

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

During cooking, the fat will liquefy, making the meatloaf moist. If you are making a meatloaf with a leaner protein such as chicken or turkey, you will need to add more liquid to the meatloaf to replace the juices that would be produced by the fat.

Eggs play a crucial role in meatloaf recipes. They add to its moisture and texture while binding all the other ingredients together.

The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, the vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

I later learned how I could avoid this problem and make a fully smooth meatloaf by pre-cooking any vegetables, especially the onion, before adding them to the ground meat. This way the meatloaf gets the flavor without the rawness -- a method from the smart people at Cook's Illustrated.

Let the loaf cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. If you baked the meatloaf in a loaf pan, carefully drain off the liquid fat before transferring the meatloaf to a clean cutting board.

Why is my meatloaf sitting in grease? ›

Meatloaf is notorious for being greasy when cooked in a loaf pan; it basically just sits in its own fat and cooks! Here's a simple trick to reduce the grease in your homemade meatloaf. When making meat loaf, line the bottom of your pan with slices of bread. Place the meat mixture in the pan and bake as usual.

Because metal heats up faster than glass, it contributes to a better rise and crisper, browner edges. But whatever you're baking, it's important to remember that not every metal pan is a great metal pan.

Whether you slather a thick layer of ketchup on top of the meatloaf before it goes into the oven, add a few tablespoons to the ground meat mixture, or serve extra ketchup on the side, this tangy-sweet, umami-rich condiment balances out the richness of the beef, making it an essential part of the dish.

Not only does sheet pan meatloaf bake up faster than its traditional loaf-shaped cousin, it also has more surface area, meaning every bite is laden with that deliciously caramelized topping.

Most recipes require bread crumbs soaked in moisture as the binder to improve the quality of your meatloaf, but there are plenty of other options. In fact, many people consider using Panko instead because it is light and airy and helps the meat crisp as it cooks.

Try to work as efficiently as possible and avoid squeezing too hard, since overworking the beef is a big reason why burgers fall apart. If you don't want to grill them right away, however, throw them in the fridge while you wait – colder burgers are less likely to break down when you cook them.

Another common reason meatloaf is mushy is too much filler, like breadcrumbs, bread, and oatmeal. Too much filler will stop it from baking correctly and becoming a fully formed meatloaf. So, just as you would reduce the amount of liquid you use, reduce the amount of filler you use.