Today I offer our Best Meatloaf Recipe (really!).  Now, if you have Grandma’s secret recipe, or you’ve perfected your own special mixture, I won’t try to sell you on this one.  I know that meatloaf, like Thanksgiving stuffing (or dressing, if you prefer) is one of those foods that, once you find a recipe you like, you stick with it.  But, for those of you who have been searching on MeatloafMatch.com, look no further! It’s the combination of ingredients and technique that set this apart, IMHO!

Literary connection? I know you’re looking for one, and here it is:  During these long months of winter, I need recipes that I can fix early in the day and pop in the oven while I’m running around taking kids to piano lessons, art class, swim team practice, etc.  Casseroles and Crock-Pot recipes save time and stress; with dinner in the oven I can chop up some salads and sneak in a little reading time while the kids do their homework.

• Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 cup quick oats
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 large onion, diced (optional)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
• dash pepper
• dash cayenne
• barbeque sauce

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• Directions:
• Mix all ingredients except cheese and barbeque sauce
• Shape half of mixture into loaf form on prepared broiler pan (I “Pam” it), lightly indent the center of the loaf, 1/2 inch from edges
• Lay sigle layer of sliced cheddar cheese in indent; breaking or cutting to fill the space
• Top with remaining mixture, making sure the edges are sealed
• Cover top and sides with barbeque sauce
• Bake at 350′ for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

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• Other secrets that make this The Best Meatloaf Recipe (really!):
• Use 85% lean, not the super-lean ground beef.  85% has more flavor, but you lose a good amount of the fat by baking on a broiler pan
• If you can stand it, mix by hand (rather than a wooden spoon).  The ingredients won’t get mashed and tough.  I’ve used clear vinyl gloves (from the Food Services aisle at BJs or Costco), or clear storage baggies over my hands
• Best with the onions, but our kids won’t eat them.  I omit them now, and this is still the Best Onionless Meatloaf Recipe (really!)
• If you’re prepping this ahead of time, cover with plastic and refrigerate after the second half of the meat mixture has been added.  Top with barbeque sauce just before you put it in the oven
• Product plug: we lived for five years in Syracuse, New York, home to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (“A Genuine Honky Tonk Rib Joint” with locations in Syracuse, Rochester, and Harlem).  Their Sensuous Slathering Sauce (what we call barbeque sauce) and Bar-B-Bleu Schmearing Sauce (great on burgers!) are amazing, and may be available at a store near you; Wegmans carries the entire line, and Stop and Shop has the barbeque sauce.  Pick up a bottle and try it.
• I serve the meatloaf with tossed salad and roasted potatoes:  halve red and white baby potatoes, onion wedges (the kids can pick them out!), toss in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, roast on another rack for about an hour while meatloaf cooks.
• We have a fancy cheese shop in town (wine and cheese pairings/tastings every Saturday starting at noon; I suggest walking down!), but this is what I put in that middle layer:

Yup!  Processed Cracker Barrel cheese; what can I say?  That’s a big part of the comfort in comfort food!

No pictures this time, but I’ll add some back in the next time I make it.  Go ahead, try it, and tell me – isn’t this The Best Meatloaf Recipe (really!) ?!