Classic Meatloaf Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Step 2

In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs, eggs, and milk (or broth). Let sit for 5 minutes.

Step 3

To the bread crumb mixture add salt, tomato paste, Dijon, maple syrup, Worcestershire, grated onion, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, oregano, marjoram, and fresh parsley. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Step 4

Add the ground meat mixing gently with your hands until just combined. (It will combine more easily if the meat has been out of the fridge for 20 minutes.) Do not over-mix. Mold into a loaf shape, roughly 8 x 4, and place in a pan with a little room around the edges, like a pyrex baking dish or a lined rimmed baking sheet, rather than packing it into a loaf pan. This helps the meatloaf brown evenly and caramelize on the edges.

Step 5

Coat the top and sides of the meatloaf with 1/2 of the glaze. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from the oven and reglaze with what is remaining. Turn the oven up to 400° and bake 10-15 minutes more. Test the temperature (an internal instant read thermometer is handy here) it should register 155-