Recipe: Mom’s Meatloaf

Mom’s Meatloaf is good pandemic food because it’s easy to make, hard to screw up, and you’ll probably end up with leftovers for several meals.

Maybe we should call this Many Moms Meatloaf because it combines a number of best practices from around the internet. Feel free to make your own adaptations. Carrots are non-traditional and you can leave them out if you don’t enjoy their crunch, which persists through cooking. Add some sautéed mushrooms if you like. But do be sure to try the glaze which is what ketchup wants to be when it grows up. Makes 8-10 servings.

Ingredients:
2 lb ground chuck or other ground beef with no more than 15% fat content
1 c dry bread crumbs
½ c whole milk
1 egg, beaten
1 c chopped onion
½ c diced carrot
½ c chopped celery
1 T Worcestershire sauce
¾ t Kosher salt
¼ t ground black pepper
For the glaze:
¼ cup ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 T red wine vinegar

Method: preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak bread crumbs in milk until absorbed. Mix all ingredients except glaze in a large bowl and transfer to a loaf plan or 9×9 inch baking pan. Smooth the top; mix glaze ingredients and evenly distribute. Bake uncovered 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let the meatloaf rest a few minutes before slicing into servings with a spatula.