Do people use recipes for meatloaf? Or is meatloaf one of those meals that you just throw everything into a bowl, shape it into a loaf, and then throw it into the oven and hope that it turns out edible. The truth is that there definitely are things that you should and should not do to make a delicious meatloaf. I’ve played around with this recipe for probably about a decade. Geez, that makes me feel old. But it’s true. And I’ve finally settled on a recipe that is my go-to for the perfect meatloaf. This recipe for The Perfect Everyday Meatloaf Recipe is my simple, traditional, and delicious take on a classic.

So what makes a meatloaf great? Let me go through some of things that I’ve learned while creating The Perfect Everyday Meatloaf… and also the mistakes that I’ve learned along the way from making a not-so-great meatloaf.

⚫️ First, let’s talk about the meat. The foundation of your meatloaf. While I generally try to pick low-fat meat for most of my other meals, you don’t want to do that with meatloaf. A higher fat meat means more moisture. If your meat is too low in fat, your meatloaf could turn out dry or grainy and you definitely don’t want that. Use an 80-20 or an 85-15 ground beef. Or you could even spice it up and substitute with a pound of ground pork.

⚫️ For a moist meatloaf, you have to add moisture. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it should still be said. For this recipe, I use a combination of ketchup, bbq sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. **Also note that I do not add any salt or pepper to this recipe. That is because all of those seasonings are already in the BBQ sauce, along with a lot of other flavor which is why I chose to include this ingredient.

⚫️ Add sautéed veggies. For this recipe, I kept it simple and just did sautéed garlic and onion. Sometimes I also add bell peppers or carrots. Adding veggies will give your meatloaf more moisture and more flavor. Definitely sauté them first before adding them so that you know that they are cooked to the right texture.

⚫️ Don’t overwork your meat. Try not to giggle because this is a serious tip. You want to mix the meat (using your hands is best) just until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the meat. Overworking the mixture can lead to a tough meatloaf.

⚫️ For the love of God, don’t use a loaf pan. I tried it a few times. I thought maybe I’m missing something because I see a lot of recipes that use loaf pans or casserole dishes. But do you know what you get when you cook a meatloaf in a loaf pan? A STEAMED meatloaf. (GAG) The best part of a meat is the beautiful crust on the outside. So be sure to give your meatloaf room and cook it on a baking sheet.

⚫️ Using a glaze is optional? It is, but it shouldn’t be. I used to fight the glaze. But it’s a better meatloaf when there is a glaze. I know that this is all a matter of opinion, but when you glaze a meatloaf you are adding another layer of flavor. Plus, by adding a little brown sugar to the glaze (like in this recipe), the glaze slightly caramelizes and it is so darn delicious.

⚫️ Let it rest. It’s important to let the meatloaf rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing into it. Giving it some rest time will allow the meatloaf to settle and will make slicing soooo much easier. You could even cook it earlier in the day, allow it to cool and refrigerate it, and then reheat when you’re ready for dinner.

Let me show you how to make The Perfect Everyday Meatloaf 👇🏻

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment, you can line with foil and spray with a non-stick spray.

Add 1 tsp olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of diced onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown on the edges, about 3 minutes.

Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow the onion and garlic to cool.

To a large bowl, add all of the meatloaf ingredients: 2 1/2 lbs ground beef (80-20 works best), 2 (whisked) eggs, 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and the cooled onion and garlic. Mix until well combined, but do not overwork.

A note about meat: For this recipe, I usually use an 80-20 ground beef, but you could also use a 90-10. When making a meatloaf, you want to pick meat with higher fat. So while 90-10 would work, it’s not optimal. You could even use a combination of meat like 1 1/2 lbs ground beef and 1 lb of ground pork.

And now shape the meat mixture into a loaf onto the prepared baking sheet. OPTIONAL: Instead of making one big loaf, you could also make a few small loaves. This would lower your cooking time slightly and it would also give you more of those delicious end pieces!

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the meatloaf glaze: 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf and place the meatloaf into the oven.

Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour until it is cooked through and the ends have a lovely crust. Allow the meatloaf to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Store the leftover in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe. These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

(As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. And then I use those earnings to provide you with some awesome content. 😉)