Chef Johns Classic Meatloaf Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S MEATBALL-INSPIRED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion with a pinch of salt in hot oil and butter until onion is golden brown and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and cool onion mixture to room temperature.
• Place bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add milk and stir with a fork until combined. Let sit until all of the milk is absorbed into the breadcrumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine ground chuck, cooled onion mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Grab a handful of breadcrumbs and squeeze very gently to remove excess milk. Repeat with remaining breadcrumbs, transfer breadcrumbs to ground chuck mixture, and discard excess milk. Stir ground chuck mixture until evenly combined.
• Turn chuck mixture out into prepared baking dish, and shape meat into a 3x4x10-inch meatloaf. Pour tomato sauce over the loaf and into the bottom of the dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

CHEF JOHN'S ZOMBIE MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute diced onion, celery, mushrooms, and 1 teaspoon salt until the mixture dries out and starts to turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Combine remaining 2 teaspoons salt, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Add cooled vegetable mixture. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
• Slice 2 round sides, about 1/2-inch-thick, off the second onion for the zombie eyes. Push 1 clove into the center of each slice. Cut a 1-inch-wide section off the remaining onion and dice into chunks to form zombie teeth.
• Transfer meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and use damp hands to shape into a zombie skull shape that is 3 to 4 inches tall. Form indents to represent the eyes, nose, and mouth. Drape bacon over the face, covering most of the meatloaf. Add onion eyes and teeth. Tuck in loose ends of bacon under the sides with a spatula. Cover the onion eyes with aluminum foil to prevent browning.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F (68 degrees C), about 1 hour.
• Stir barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, and hot sauce together in a bowl to make the blood sauce.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• Combine the meatloaf mix, breadcrumbs, parsley, eggs, onion, garlic, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix together until well combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and form it into a compact oval-shaped loaf about 9 inches by 5 inches. Bake the meatloaf for 30 minutes.
• Stir the brown sugar together with the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire in a small bowl for the glaze. Brush the top and sides of the meatloaf all over with the glaze. Return to the oven and bake until the glaze starts to caramelize and a thermometer inserted in the center of the meatloaf registers 160 degrees F, about 25 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

CLASSIC AMERICAN MEATLOAF

Steps:

• To make the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrot and onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, cumin, paprika, and garlic and onion powders. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, heat the ketchup in the microwave until just warm to the touch. Sprinkle the gelatin over the ketchup and whisk to remove clumps. Add to the cooled vegetable mixture, then add the beef, pork, eggs, and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix just to combine. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil and form the meat mixture into a loaf.
• To make the glaze: In a measuring cup, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire, and mustard. Brush a little glaze on the meatloaf and bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 1 hour 15 minutes, brushing three or four times with the glaze until you've used it all. Let meatloaf rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

THE MOST EASY AND DELISH MEATLOAF EVER!

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, then add the ground beef, tomatoes, and crushed crackers. Season with onion flakes, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Pack into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

"BETTER THAN BEEF" MEATLESS MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Very generously grease a loaf pan.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and sauté until nicely browned and juices have evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until soft, another 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add celery, tomato paste, and beef base; cook and stir until tomato paste begins to toast on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Stir in water and turn off the heat; let sit for about 3 minutes.
• Transfer mushroom mixture into a food processor. Add cooked lentils and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
• Transfer to a mixing bowl and add eggs, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, thyme, cayenne, ketchup, bread crumbs, oats, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan, then wrap with foil and place on a sheet pan.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and place on a wire rack. Remove the foil and place it on the baking sheet. Grease the foil with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Let the loaf sit for 10 to 15 minutes, and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• While the loaf is resting, make the glaze: Whisk ketchup, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar together in a small bowl.
• Invert the loaf onto the foil and spread glaze all over the surface, mostly on the top but some on the sides.
• Return to the oven and bake until the glaze is cooked on, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the loaf onto a cutting board. Cut into 6 slices and serve.