Recipe Background
Magnificent Monday Meatloaf, enhanced with a sweet glaze, is perfect for creating a welcoming, homey feeling on moving day.
The first time I whipped up this meatloaf, I was settling into my new home. Moving day was a blur of boxes and bubble wrap, but by evening, the kitchen was the first place I felt at ease. Among the essentials—right next to the can opener and a lone spatula—was a collection of spices and condiments that had traveled with me from place to place. I had a pound of ground beef in the fridge, a small but mighty staple that always found its way into my meals, and a half-used bottle of ketchup that had become a taste of familiarity amidst the unfamiliar.
After a day of frazzled nerves and mismatched socks, bringing this meatloaf to life felt like the first real victory in my new place. Grating the onion until my eyes watered and mincing garlic as if life depended on it, I poured myself into the process. A quick tip: taking the time to grate the onion rather than chopping thick pieces makes a seamless blend, and using fresh parsley adds a vibrant note that dried herbs just can't replicate.
The moment the aroma filled the room, it masked any lingering scent of cardboard and packing tape. Glazing the loaf with a brown sugar and vinegar concoction, it looked like the first promising meal in this house. I knew that letting it rest for ten minutes would make for perfect slices, a little patience that sealed the deal. This simple yet comforting meatloaf welcomed me to my new chapter with warmth and an extra splash of ketchup.
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion grated or finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the glaze:
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the beef, the onions, the garlic, the eggs, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, the milk, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the breadcrumbs, the salt, and the pepper and mix well to combine.
- Add the meat mixture to the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out to shape it into a loaf.
- Bake the meatloaf for 40 minutes.
- In a bowl, add the remaining ketchup, the white vinegar, and the brown sugar and whisk to combine.
- Spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf and bake until the glaze is caramelized and the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice and serve the meatloaf topped with the pan juices and the extra parsley.
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