Triple Meatloaf With Tangy Ketchup Glaze Recipe

Meatloaf with ketchup glaze
Robert Reiff / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 meatloaf

We call this a "triple" meatloaf because it's made with beef, pork, and veal. You'll get the best results using a pound of ground beef (ground chuck is ideal) and half a pound each of ground pork and ground veal. But you can use equal parts (2/3 pound of each) if that's easier.

We also use tomato juice or buttermilk to moisten the meatloaf, because they add more flavor than whole milk. But if milk is all you have, it'll still be good. If you use tomato juice, it will give the finished meatloaf a slight reddish hue, but don't let that worry you. As long as the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 F, it's cooked all the way.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1/2 pound ground veal

  • 4 large slices sourdough bread, or 4 slices regular white bread, crusts removed

  • 1 cup buttermilk, whole milk, or tomato juice

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup finely chopped celery

  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

  2. Cut the bread into cubes and combine it with the milk (or tomato juice) in a bowl. Mash it up until it forms a thick paste.

  3. Sauté the onions, celery, and garlic in a little bit of oil until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside so that they have a chance to cool.

  4. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the eggs and chopped parsley.

  5. Add the bread mixture (which is called a panada, by the way) and the onion-celery-garlic mixture, and combine until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. We find our bare hands are best for this.

  6. Gently transfer the meatloaf to a loaf-shaped baking dish. Don't pack the meat too tightly. You can smooth the top into a slightly rounded shape.

  7. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. While the meatloaf bakes you can mix together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a glass bowl.

  8. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and brush the top generously with the ketchup glaze. Return it to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160 F at the center of the meatloaf.

  9. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes and serve in thick slices.

Tips

  • When it comes to salt and pepper, recipes typically instruct you to "season to taste." But with meatloaf, you have to season it before you bake it, and not everyone is comfortable tasting raw ground meat—with raw egg added for good measure. That's why we provide guideline measurements here, but the whole point of "to taste" is that people have different seasoning preferences, and a general guideline isn't going to work for everyone.
    However: You could just microwave a pinch of the uncooked meatloaf for tasting.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
448 Calories
21g Fat
27g Carbs
37g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 448
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 147mg 49%
Sodium 852mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 624mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)