Classic Meat Loaf

This is meat loaf like your mother used to make! The topping is yummy.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Topping

• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Measure 1/4 cup tomato sauce; combine with topping ingredients. Set aside.
3. Combine remaining tomato sauce with remaining meatloaf ingredients in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape beef mixture into 8 x 4 1/2 inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Spread topping over meatloaf.
4. Bake for 1 hour, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160 degrees F.
5. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
6. Cut into slices.

Notes

Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

Four-Pepper Meatloaf: Prepare meatloaf as above, adding 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper to Ground Beef mixture.

Picadillo-Style Meatloaf: Prepare meatloaf as above, omitting thyme and adding 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed, to Ground Beef mixture.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Cattlemens Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association