I made another change tonight, and I think it's for the better. I've always made meat loaf in a loaf pan, but tonight I made it freeform on a rimmed baking sheet, and I really liked it. Instead of stewing in its own juices (and fat) in the loaf pan, it developed a nice crust all around. Yum.
I used all beef, but feel free to use a mix of ground meat if it suits you.
Glazed Meat Loaf
Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce (I used mostly ketchup, with a couple tablespoons of sriracha sauce for a kick)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar or white vinegar
Meat Loaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced/pressed
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Texas Pete)
1/2 cup milk
2 pounds ground beef chuck (or 1 lb. beef, 1/2 lb. pork, 1/2 lb. veal)
2/3 cup quick oatmeal
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with oatmeal and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, until mixture no longer sticks.)
4. Form meat mixture into 9x5” loaf and put onto foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush with one-quarter of glaze. Bake until glaze is set, about 45 minutes. Top with another one-quarter of glaze; continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes longer. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.
Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce (I used mostly ketchup, with a couple tablespoons of sriracha sauce for a kick)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar or white vinegar
Meat Loaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced/pressed
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Texas Pete)
1/2 cup milk
2 pounds ground beef chuck (or 1 lb. beef, 1/2 lb. pork, 1/2 lb. veal)
2/3 cup quick oatmeal
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with oatmeal and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, until mixture no longer sticks.)
4. Form meat mixture into 9x5” loaf and put onto foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush with one-quarter of glaze. Bake until glaze is set, about 45 minutes. Top with another one-quarter of glaze; continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes longer. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.
