American
Classic American Meatloaf
Sunday supper perfection — the dish that defines home cooking at its most nourishing.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
Meatloaf is one of the great underrated dishes of the American table. In its worst form it is a dense, grey brick. In its best form — properly seasoned, bound with a panade and glazed with a tangy-sweet tomato crust — it is deeply satisfying and endlessly comforting.
The panade, a mixture of milk-soaked bread or crackers, is the key: it keeps the loaf tender and moist throughout. Don't skip the glaze either.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the meatloaf
- 1½ lbs 80/20 ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or crushed saltines)
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 medium onion, grated on a box grater
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
For the glaze
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack over it (or use a loaf pan).
- 2
Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and let sit 5 minutes until absorbed to a paste — the panade. Add eggs, grated onion, garlic, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix to combine.
- 3
Add beef and pork. Using your hands, mix until just combined — overmixing produces a dense, tight texture.
- 4
Shape into a 9x4-inch loaf on the rack, or press into a loaf pan. A free-form loaf gives a crispier exterior; a loaf pan gives a moister result.
- 5
MAKE THE GLAZE: Whisk all glaze ingredients together and brush half generously over the loaf.
- 6
Bake 45 minutes, brush on the remaining glaze, then bake another 15–20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the glaze is caramelized and sticky.
- 7
Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans for the full American experience.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: Grate the onion rather than chopping it. Grated onion essentially dissolves into the meat during cooking, adding moisture and flavor without visible chunks.
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