My Mom got married in 1958 and started making meatloaf for my Dad. People who don’t like meatloaf like my Mom’s recipe. She died in Oct 2023, and people at the funeral asked for the recipe! Memories….
My meatloaf, which is the same as my mother's recipe from the late 50s or early 60s except that I double the black pepper, use a heaping teaspoon of dry mustard, and include a tablespoon of dry minced onion, uses Corn Flakes instead of bread crumbs. I have no idea where she got the recipe. I misplaced my recipe card (horrors! I did find it again, tho) once and tried searching the web for a Corn Flake version and failed. Her recipe bakes it in a 9 X 5 pan at 350 but then you unmold it and finish baking it at 425 for the final 10 to 15 minutes so you get a loaf that's well-browned on all sides. I've found that mixing it up in the morning, wrapping it well for the fridge, and then baking it for dinner results in more even cooking and a nicer flavor.
Thank you, Kathy! That’s a unique and quite handy preparation. And I love the unmolding and finishing outside of the pan. As for the Corn Flakes, they were pretty popular in mid-century meatloaves. I’ll bet Kelloggs had something to do with the meatloaf recipe, but then it could have come out of the Depression when bread was scarce and oats, crackers, and cereals were used in a lot of recipes.
Meatloaf was on regular rotation in our house when I was a kid, but I don’t remember it being a standout. Your recipe sounds great! I might try a free-form version to get those crispy edges— and maybe those meatballs too! I love the idea of meatloaf being the quintessential American dish that might bind a divided nation. If only…
Oh Ruth, I’m hopeful. Seems to me we all need the attitude that it’s not just about us. We can stomach boring meatloaf if we have to. I’d do so if it brought this country together. ❤️
For me, meatloaf was . . . meh . . . until I had my mother-in-law's. Hers was much like yours except she used both ground beef and sausage and soda cracker crumbs. The rest was mostly the same: onion, garlic, celery, egg, milk, catsup, salt, pepper, and MSG. Amazing how just a few tweaks can change one's outlook about a dish!
I make my meatloaf using stuffing mix instead of bread crumbs. It already has seasoning and for some reason my family likes this better than the traditional one! I add ketchup and an egg, some liquid and I bake it freeform on a sheetpan. It gets crusty on the outside and is yummy. I haven't made it in a while so I need to find the recipe and make it soon. I think there is a recipe on the internet that uses the mix and I adapted it.
I still miss those small magazines with recipes that were sold at the grocery store check-out. I always bought the ones from Pillsbury and I found many good and easy recipes there. I'm going to find the one with the meatloaf recipe I always used when my children were small. It had oats and salsa in it which made it very easy to make. With salsa, the onions are already cut up for you. I also use Penzey's minced onions sometimes. I like how they seem to melt into the meatloaf, not unlike onion soup.
My mother made meatloaf when the ketchup bottle was almost empty. She pour milk into the bottle about half way and shook the bottle to get all the ketchup mixed in. That was the liquid plus an egg for her meatloaf. She soaked the end pieces of bread in the milk mixture, added Worcestershire sauce, parsley, finely chopped onion. It was baked in a loaf pan and she topped it with bacon slices before cooking. So delicious.
Love this! Exactly how I make a quick pasta sauce except I pour red wine into the near empty pasta sauce jar, shake a few times, and pour into the pot.
Anne, have you seen the Garden and Gun online article "Meet the MeatLoaf lady of Bella Vista Arkansas" She sold 772 pans last month at the small grocery store where she works! Who knew meatloaf was having its moment? Thank you for keeping us ahead of the trends!
In the early 70’s I insisted my Mom ask my friend’s Dad for his meatloaf recipe because it made their house smell so good while it was baking! We named the recipe Godlonton Meatloaf after that family and it remains a family favourite. Bonus, with French’s mustard and fresh bread the leftover meatloaf makes a delicious sandwich.
What makes this recipe extra special is the 1/2 cup of dill pickle juice added to the hamburger mixture and 1/2 cup of chopped dill pickles mixed with ketchup, water, sugar and Worcestershire for the sauce. I bake it freeform on a baking sheet with an indent on top to hold some that delicious sauce!
After Dad's first heart attack, beef, lamb, and pork marched out our kitchen door. When I had my own family, I would make meatloaf from time to time, but now I think I'll try it again! Maybe as meatballs...
Mine is very similar. I use beef, pork and veal, sour cream, milk and eggs. For the crumb I use white bread crumbled up. I use the same seasoning and free form it on a baking dish. I take thin slices of bacon and wrap the top and sides, bake for 45 minutes then put the ketchup topping on the top and sides and bake for another 45 minutes. I use the same ketchup topper that is in your recipe. It makes a good sized loaf.
The only meatloaf my family likes comes from my mother-in-law. It was one of those recipes she wrote down for me before she passed and was just a list of ingredients with a little instruction. No measurements except one pound of ground sirloin. I've since substituted the triple blend of beef, pork and veal. It's moist and flavorful. Yours looks delicious and worth the trial!
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. My kids loved meatloaf growing up, so much so, it was the first dinner my daughter requested upon her return from studying abroad in Rome! I always use the Fannie Farmer cookbook recipe-free form with a homemade bbq sauce topping. We always have mashed potatoes and corn as sides. My favorite part of the meal is the cold meatloaf sandwich for lunch!
I have used an old recipe from a Westminster School cookbook (Atlanta) for over 30 years...very simple...grated onion, ketchup with some add ins...but the fun today is making the same mixture into little meatballs for my toddler grandson...and our sandwiches are usually sliced meatloaf on hamburger buns warmed in the oven until the cheddar cheese melts! Sometimes we just go right to sandwiches! Why wait a day?
Here you go: From a worn index card in the 1980s from a Westminster School cookbook
Meat Loaf
1 ¼ ground beef/sirloin…just get close to weight…1 slice of bread crumbled or torn…1/2 small onion grated over mix…1 egg…1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Mix …then add about ¼ to a 1/3 cup of topping into the meat mixture…shape on a small sheet pan or baking pan…not in a loaf pan.
Topping: 2 TBSP vinegar…2TBSP Worcestershire sauce..2 TBSP brown sugar…16 oz tomato sauce…2 tsp yellow mustard…mix well…If no tomato sauce, use ketchup with other ingredients but reduce sugar to a tsp or so to taste
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes with no topping yet…remove and gently pour off the fat/scum that has begun to release. Spread the topping over the meatloaf…Bake for 45 more minutes…Check meatloaf and add a few squirts of ketchup to fill any “bare” spots and cook about 5 more minutes…let sit for 5-10 minutes to set.
I don't remember much about my mom's meatloaf. I think that means it didn't have much flavor, plus she didn't cook from scratch a lot. Wasn't really in her wheelhouse.
I don't really measure when I make it, but I change it up based on what I have on hand. Usually oats, Sun of Italy Italian seasoning--mild but it has parmesan (a reliable Baltimore-area brand), better than bullion beef flavor, worcestershire, egg, minced onion (dried) or French's fried onions, ketchup (plus more for the top), brown sugar when I remember, and that's about it.
I make it freeform and put it on parchment on a baking sheet. Perfection.
My Mom got married in 1958 and started making meatloaf for my Dad. People who don’t like meatloaf like my Mom’s recipe. She died in Oct 2023, and people at the funeral asked for the recipe! Memories….
That’s a sweet memory, Colleen. Do you recall what made her meatloaf special?
I love the idea of using pasta sauce in meatloaf!
My meatloaf, which is the same as my mother's recipe from the late 50s or early 60s except that I double the black pepper, use a heaping teaspoon of dry mustard, and include a tablespoon of dry minced onion, uses Corn Flakes instead of bread crumbs. I have no idea where she got the recipe. I misplaced my recipe card (horrors! I did find it again, tho) once and tried searching the web for a Corn Flake version and failed. Her recipe bakes it in a 9 X 5 pan at 350 but then you unmold it and finish baking it at 425 for the final 10 to 15 minutes so you get a loaf that's well-browned on all sides. I've found that mixing it up in the morning, wrapping it well for the fridge, and then baking it for dinner results in more even cooking and a nicer flavor.
Could have been on a box of cereal or Corn Flake crumbs, which you could buy--not sure if it's still on the market.
Yes, possibly!
https://www.kelloggscornflakes.com/en_US/recipes/frosted-meat-loaf-recipe.html
https://www.kelloggscornflakes.com/en_US/recipes/meal-in-one-meat-loaf-recipe.html
I had no idea! Frosted Corn Flake meatloaf? Clearly I didn’t do my research. Thank you!
cross between meatloaf and shepherd's pie.
Thank you, Kathy! That’s a unique and quite handy preparation. And I love the unmolding and finishing outside of the pan. As for the Corn Flakes, they were pretty popular in mid-century meatloaves. I’ll bet Kelloggs had something to do with the meatloaf recipe, but then it could have come out of the Depression when bread was scarce and oats, crackers, and cereals were used in a lot of recipes.
Meatloaf was on regular rotation in our house when I was a kid, but I don’t remember it being a standout. Your recipe sounds great! I might try a free-form version to get those crispy edges— and maybe those meatballs too! I love the idea of meatloaf being the quintessential American dish that might bind a divided nation. If only…
Oh Ruth, I’m hopeful. Seems to me we all need the attitude that it’s not just about us. We can stomach boring meatloaf if we have to. I’d do so if it brought this country together. ❤️
Amen to that, Anne, though your meatloaf doesn’t strike me as boring!😋
For me, meatloaf was . . . meh . . . until I had my mother-in-law's. Hers was much like yours except she used both ground beef and sausage and soda cracker crumbs. The rest was mostly the same: onion, garlic, celery, egg, milk, catsup, salt, pepper, and MSG. Amazing how just a few tweaks can change one's outlook about a dish!
Meatloaf is personal. And the trick is to stay with the formula you land on. Saltines? That’s interesting. Might try it!
Saltines were used in my family. Since I've been trying to wean us off beef, perhaps I'll try it with turkey or chicken. Think that would work?
Yes, they work! I swap turkey for beef all the time.
I make my meatloaf using stuffing mix instead of bread crumbs. It already has seasoning and for some reason my family likes this better than the traditional one! I add ketchup and an egg, some liquid and I bake it freeform on a sheetpan. It gets crusty on the outside and is yummy. I haven't made it in a while so I need to find the recipe and make it soon. I think there is a recipe on the internet that uses the mix and I adapted it.
Karen is replying to my title. I do not have a substack!
Sounds like a timesaver too!
I still miss those small magazines with recipes that were sold at the grocery store check-out. I always bought the ones from Pillsbury and I found many good and easy recipes there. I'm going to find the one with the meatloaf recipe I always used when my children were small. It had oats and salsa in it which made it very easy to make. With salsa, the onions are already cut up for you. I also use Penzey's minced onions sometimes. I like how they seem to melt into the meatloaf, not unlike onion soup.
Exactly! Dried or dehydrated onions are made for meatloaf. Thanks!
My mother made meatloaf when the ketchup bottle was almost empty. She pour milk into the bottle about half way and shook the bottle to get all the ketchup mixed in. That was the liquid plus an egg for her meatloaf. She soaked the end pieces of bread in the milk mixture, added Worcestershire sauce, parsley, finely chopped onion. It was baked in a loaf pan and she topped it with bacon slices before cooking. So delicious.
Love this! Exactly how I make a quick pasta sauce except I pour red wine into the near empty pasta sauce jar, shake a few times, and pour into the pot.
Anne, have you seen the Garden and Gun online article "Meet the MeatLoaf lady of Bella Vista Arkansas" She sold 772 pans last month at the small grocery store where she works! Who knew meatloaf was having its moment? Thank you for keeping us ahead of the trends!
Thank you for reminding me of what a style maker I am! LOL! ❤️ I don’t know the Meatloaf lady but sense a sequel is in the making.
In the early 70’s I insisted my Mom ask my friend’s Dad for his meatloaf recipe because it made their house smell so good while it was baking! We named the recipe Godlonton Meatloaf after that family and it remains a family favourite. Bonus, with French’s mustard and fresh bread the leftover meatloaf makes a delicious sandwich.
What makes this recipe extra special is the 1/2 cup of dill pickle juice added to the hamburger mixture and 1/2 cup of chopped dill pickles mixed with ketchup, water, sugar and Worcestershire for the sauce. I bake it freeform on a baking sheet with an indent on top to hold some that delicious sauce!
Thank you, Karen! What a unique twist! Can’t wait to try pickles in meatloaf…
After Dad's first heart attack, beef, lamb, and pork marched out our kitchen door. When I had my own family, I would make meatloaf from time to time, but now I think I'll try it again! Maybe as meatballs...
Meatballs are definitely the new meatloaf, Anna. Try ground chicken. Add fresh parsley.
Sounds great! On my menu list for sure. Thanks!
Preach it, sistah! Love this one, Anne.
Thanks, Kate! ❤️
Mine is very similar. I use beef, pork and veal, sour cream, milk and eggs. For the crumb I use white bread crumbled up. I use the same seasoning and free form it on a baking dish. I take thin slices of bacon and wrap the top and sides, bake for 45 minutes then put the ketchup topping on the top and sides and bake for another 45 minutes. I use the same ketchup topper that is in your recipe. It makes a good sized loaf.
The bacon! And sour cream! I’m not telling my family you can make meatloaf with bacon and sour cream! 🤣
You eat thin slices!😉
The only meatloaf my family likes comes from my mother-in-law. It was one of those recipes she wrote down for me before she passed and was just a list of ingredients with a little instruction. No measurements except one pound of ground sirloin. I've since substituted the triple blend of beef, pork and veal. It's moist and flavorful. Yours looks delicious and worth the trial!
Let me know how it compares! ❤️
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. My kids loved meatloaf growing up, so much so, it was the first dinner my daughter requested upon her return from studying abroad in Rome! I always use the Fannie Farmer cookbook recipe-free form with a homemade bbq sauce topping. We always have mashed potatoes and corn as sides. My favorite part of the meal is the cold meatloaf sandwich for lunch!
That is a testament to your cooking! What is the bbq sauce topping, Susan?
I have used an old recipe from a Westminster School cookbook (Atlanta) for over 30 years...very simple...grated onion, ketchup with some add ins...but the fun today is making the same mixture into little meatballs for my toddler grandson...and our sandwiches are usually sliced meatloaf on hamburger buns warmed in the oven until the cheddar cheese melts! Sometimes we just go right to sandwiches! Why wait a day?
Thanks, Beth, would you want to share the recipe with us? I hope you don’t have to be a toddler to love little meatballs.
Here you go: From a worn index card in the 1980s from a Westminster School cookbook
Meat Loaf
1 ¼ ground beef/sirloin…just get close to weight…1 slice of bread crumbled or torn…1/2 small onion grated over mix…1 egg…1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Mix …then add about ¼ to a 1/3 cup of topping into the meat mixture…shape on a small sheet pan or baking pan…not in a loaf pan.
Topping: 2 TBSP vinegar…2TBSP Worcestershire sauce..2 TBSP brown sugar…16 oz tomato sauce…2 tsp yellow mustard…mix well…If no tomato sauce, use ketchup with other ingredients but reduce sugar to a tsp or so to taste
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes with no topping yet…remove and gently pour off the fat/scum that has begun to release. Spread the topping over the meatloaf…Bake for 45 more minutes…Check meatloaf and add a few squirts of ketchup to fill any “bare” spots and cook about 5 more minutes…let sit for 5-10 minutes to set.
Thanks, Beth! Looks yummy. And love the trick of par cooking it a bit, draining off the scum and then glazing.
I don't remember much about my mom's meatloaf. I think that means it didn't have much flavor, plus she didn't cook from scratch a lot. Wasn't really in her wheelhouse.
I don't really measure when I make it, but I change it up based on what I have on hand. Usually oats, Sun of Italy Italian seasoning--mild but it has parmesan (a reliable Baltimore-area brand), better than bullion beef flavor, worcestershire, egg, minced onion (dried) or French's fried onions, ketchup (plus more for the top), brown sugar when I remember, and that's about it.
I make it freeform and put it on parchment on a baking sheet. Perfection.
Nice, Denise! I am impressed you get perfection every time. It’s the riffs on meatloaf that trip me up. I do better sticking with a formula.