decorvow's Meatloaf

Servings:

10

Meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food. And when Martha wants that cozy favorite, she turns to her mother's recipe. Mrs. Kostyra’s meatloaf is a classic that takes Martha right back to her childhood with that first bite. It’s a dish she ate often growing up. Her mom usually made this all-beef meatloaf with ground chuck but occasionally varied the dish by swapping some of the ground beef for ground pork.

When Martha was growing up, her mom chopped the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and garlic for the meatloaf by hand. Today, Martha uses a food processor to streamline the prep. Homemade breadcrumbs are essential for this dish, made with regular white sandwich bread. This meatloaf uses a generous amount, which makes the meatloaf more economical but also gives it a lighter texture. The finishing touch is Mrs. Kostyra’s tangy glaze, a simple mix of ketchup, brown sugar, and dry mustard. It’s a much better topping for meatloaf than bacon, says Martha.

Directions

Preheat oven and make breadcrumbs:

Heat oven to 375°F. Place bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add ground beef.
Chop vegetables and add to meat:

Place onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade; pulse until fine. Add to meat mixture, using hands to mix well.
Mix in remaining ingredients and transfer to loaf pan

Add egg, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt, and pepper; use hands to combine thoroughly. Place in an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
Make glaze:

Combine remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, remaining teaspoon dry mustard, and brown sugar in a bowl; stir until smooth. Brush mixture over meatloaf.
Bake:

Place in the oven with a baking pan set on the rack below to catch drippings. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees, about 90 minutes.

If the top gets too dark, cover with foil, and continue baking.