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Slices of the best glazed meatloaf on white platter.

The Best Glazed Meatloaf

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

  • 1 cup crushed saltines, 25-30 crackers
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ¼ to ½ cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder, see note to use fresh onions
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, I use coarse, kosher salt - use slightly less for table salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, I use coarse black pepper - use slightly less for finely ground
  • 2 pounds ground meat, I use half ground beef/half ground pork (see note)

Glaze:

  • ⅔ cup ketchup or BBQ sauce, or a combination
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider or red wine vinegar

Instructions 

  • For the meatloaf, in a large mixing bowl, add the crushed saltines and milk and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. Add the parsley, eggs, onion powder, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  • Add the ground meat and mix until evenly and well combined. (You can use a food processor for all of the above if you want a an even more well combined spice and meat mixture.)
  • For the glaze, combine the ketchup (or BBQ sauce), brown sugar, and vinegar and whisk to combine.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray.
  • Pile the meat mixture in the middle of the prepared pan and shape into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide (it doesn't have to be perfect; just try to get it an even thickness throughout).
  • Spoon the glaze over the meatloaf. Bake for 45-50 minutes until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the center of the meatloaf.
  • Loosely tent with foil and let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Meat: I prefer using half ground beef and half ground pork for this recipe. You could also try using 100% ground beef or ground turkey (or half ground beef/ground turkey). 
Glaze: if you want to serve some of the glaze on the side, double the ingredients and reserve half to serve after the meatloaf has baked (if desired, you can simmer the reserved glaze and serve warm). 
Onion: over the years, we've come to prefer onion powder over fresh onions since several of my kids don't like onion pieces in the cooked meatloaf; however, if you want the flavor of fresh onions, make sure they are very finely chopped and/or precook them in a skillet to make sure they are tender when the meatloaf is finished cooking.