My 'secret' ingredient is a can of Rotel canned tomatoes.

Sauteed onions sounds good to go in the meatloaf.

I always add a bunch of my chili sauce and mix it in with the meat and seasonings, egg, bread crumbs and a bit of milk.
That's about the only thing I use my chili sauce for. We don't eat it as a relish with meats.

I usually add chili sauce on the top of the meatloaf. The last couple times I used brown sugar, ketchup and mustard as the topping and it makes a nice change.

I saute my onions too. Cooking releases some of the sugars and I like that little hint of sweetnes they impart. I also add fresh herbs and garlic to the onions during the last minute of cooking.

Sometimes I wrap bacon strips around the entire meat loaf and then glaze with a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. The bacon and glaze are a nice compliment to each other.

I add some brown sugar sometimes

Like JoAnn..it's brown sugar..my boys will gobble it up with about a tablespoon per pound.

I may have even found this at the KT I don't remember where I got the idea. I combine all the ingredients then spread the meat out on wax paper until it is about 1" thick. Then I spread Ricotta Cheese thinly over the meat and then and thawed frozen spinach on top of that. I then roll it up jelly roll style and put it in a Pan.

Shredded cheddar cheese!
Kathy G in MI

Jasdip, the chili sauce sound like a great idea. Cooking onions first is a good idea too.
My secret is:
I always through in a handful or two of oatmeal.

I used Paula Deen's recipe--the one in her first cook book and while it's not so different, she mixes brown sugar, mustard and ketchup and covers the top w/ it. I always have some diced tomatoes left over and I put them on the top, too. I think it's hard to beat a good meat loaf and since her recipes so good, I never order it out anymore. Then to make a sandwich out of the left overs--yummo.

I sautee finely cut onions, then add lots of chopped garlic and cook it all for a minute more. Oatmeal, basil and ketchup too.

My mother used to make it much like Jannie's and I like good meatloaf but I like different kinds too so I don't make it the same all the time. Jannie's is what I consider the real "comfort" type meatloaf - a reminder of my earlier years and I enjoy that occasionally, sometimes the "Heinz 57" meatloaf. Occasionally I'll make a pseudo-Italian type or a "pizza meatloaf" with Italian seasoning, pepperoni and sometimes some cubes of mozzarella. Sometimes a Taco flavor. Most of the time I'll mix meats, beef, pork/sausage, or something. I used to use ground turkey as part of it but that got old and really wasn't a real benefit. Meatloaf needs a good crust. No sugar needed - I don't like sweetened meats. I do like a good crust on it though but I have trouble getting it because I use the Nesco and it's just too moist to get a good crust.

One other thing, I've found I prefer torn bread to breadcrumbs. But at times I've used crackers (saltines, bacon thins, Ritz, Cheez-Its or whatever kind I have), pretzels or whatever I have around.

I once made a meatloaf with crushed Cheez-It crackers. I had no breadcrumbs in the house. Have heard of adding oatmeal too.

Meatloaf tastes good when it's not dry. I add eggs, milk, ketchup, mustard, A1 Sauce and Kitchen Bouquet to the other ingredients......

For the breadcrumbs, I crush that dry Mrs. Cubbison's cornbread stuffing that comes in a box. I like the flavor and seasoning it contains.

Oh Gaylemarie, that sounds GOOD!

I sautee my onions, soak fresh bread (cubed)in milk, add an egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt/pepper. I also use half ground beef and half ground pork. Ketchup over the top while baking.

Forgot to say that I do sometimes add a packet of Lipton Mushroom/onion soup to mine. Then use the other packet for gravy. That's DH's favorite.

My Mom always made a standard meatloaf and then poured a can of Campbells alphabet vegetable soup on top. It was one of our favorite meals with mashed potatoes. So nice and moist and sauce for your spuds too.

I too add the typical beef, sauteed onion, garlic, S&P, bread crumbs soaked in milk, a bit of tomato sauce, cubed cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, tomato brown sugar glaze on top.
Makes the best sandwiches the next day!

One teaspoon poultry seasoning to each pound of meat.

I usually add a couple of eggs, a box of Stove Top Dressing and a can of diced tomatoes with all the liquid! I don't think I have ever made a meat loaf the same way twice!

I make three kinds of meatloaves. The first is the basic, meat,egg, milk,breadcrumbs,catsup or BBQ sauce. Then I make what I call stuffing meatloaf...meat,egg,breadcrumbs soaked in chicken broth, sauteed onion-celery-shredded carrots, seasoned with poultry seasoning. Then I make what I call stuffed meatballs, meat seasoned with egg, bread crumbs, poultry seasoning. Spread meat mixture in a circle on waxed paper, put abt 1/4 cup prepared stuffing (either home made or Stove Top) work meat mixture up and over stuffing mound to make the meatball. Put in a baking pan, mix Cr. of chicken soup with a little milk and a little poultry seasoning, pour over meatballs, cover and bake about 45 mn to 1 hr. Note to self...gotta make these this weekend, now I'm hungry for them.

I put a dollip or two of quaker oats in mine! (maybe like two tablespoons) along with some Davids seasonings sauce...and instead of onions I use another dollip or two of Liptons Onion Soup mix!

The best meatloaf I ever made was just me being frugal....I put some leftover cooked orzo in.
Now when I make orzo...the next day or 2 I make meatloaf!

I also add 1 egg, ketchup and brown sugar, peppers, and onions.

When you all bake your meatloaves, do you cover them or do you leave them uncovered?

Sue

Mound into a loaf shape on a baking pan - 15 minutes before the loaf is finished baking, take a package of crescent rolls, separate into triangles and layer over the mound - continue baking until browned in the oven.

If you have leftover triangles, roll them up into crescents and place next to the meat loaf. You'll have a beautiful loaf of Beef Wellington.

Helene

No secrets in mine except a bit of ginger. There are some great ideas here. I think I'll try Gayle's meatloaf and top it with the crescent rolls like in blubird's post. Woo hoo!

I like mine baked uncovered.

My Mom always put minute tapioca in meatloaf for moisture. She used poultry seasoning in it also. It was a recipe that she got off the tapioca box. When I first started making meatloaf, I did it Mom's way, but now years later, I can't remember how much of either.

I don't have a secret ingredient but whenever I make a meat loaf, I cook it ahead of time and when I'm ready to serve it, I slice it and grill it on my Cusinart Griddler.

One example
Another example

Peas. I love peas and minced carrots in my meatloaf. I'm going to try Bluebird's crescent roll idea though, my family would love that!

Sue, I bake mine uncovered. Sometimes in a loaf pan, other times in a small round casserole dish.

Cheese in the middle, either cheddar or American. My kids don't like meatloaf, though, so I rarely make it.

Jasdip, I have done it both ways. Sometimes in a roasting pan that has a lid and put carrots and potatoes with it. They seem to cook better covered. My Mother in law used to make a dressing with her meatloaf, I guess she must have used the broth from the meatloaf someway. I never asked her back then.

Sue

Anyone cook meatloaf on a rack, to drain the grease, or do you use extra-lean meat? Do I recall early recipes called for one-third each of beef, pork and veal?

BTW, what *else* do you use Worcestershire sauce for?

I never think of putting the meat loaf on a rack. That makes too much sense! lol

Mom has a loaf pan with a removable drainer that she makes her meat loaf in. Works great.

I put worcestershire on hamburgers and steaks, in bbq type sauces and marinades.

My mother used ground hamburger (whatever that was at the time!) & mixed in diced onion & celery, whole eggs, crushed saltine crackers, salt, pepper, & probably something else I'm forgetting.

She used tomato juice instead of tomato sauce for extra moisture & cooked it in an uncovered pan.

It seems to me meatloaf could be a real artery clogger if you don't use lean meat --or don't let the fat run off. Maybe draining it wouldn't help because the bread or other filler has already soaked up the fat? (No wonder it is 'comfort food'. LOL)

I use lipton onion soup,an egg,ketchup,mustard,quick cooking oats or bread crumbs,salt,pepper.Just made it last week for the first time in awhile,sure tasted good.
Kathi

chisue, you're correct.. meatloaf can be baked on a rack...but like you, i do worry about the type of ground meat and i use lean beef, now that i can afford it...can't stand chuck...

dd1 makes a venison version of meatloaf...

rarely made meatloaf when the kids were growing up...it was .99 cent burger those days, and it was usually crumbled up, drained, and a hot water wash...

way back then, there was a lawry matloaf mix, and i believe i tried one on the packet that had a bit of orange juice...sort of sweet/sour meatloaf???

As far as covered or uncovered, it depends on what I'm using to cook it. In the Nesco, I usually put it on the rack, uncovered. I usually cover the rack with foil, then poke holes in the foil. That way the meat doesn't fall through the rack and it'll still drain some grease. I have a meatloaf pan and have used that in the Nesco, use it in the oven sometimes too. In the oven or the convection oven especially, it'll burn if I don't cover it at least part of the time. The one problem with the Nesco is that it's so moist it doesn't get the good crust I like.

Interesting about the Worcestershire. It's essential, but in very few recipes. I have to remember to toss out and replace the bottle every few years -- or decades. LOL

I like Rachel Ray's version. She has all the regular ingredients, but you take a cup of salsa and 1/2 barbeque sauce mixed together. Plus grill seasoning to give it a kick! My DH hates ketchup so it's a good compromise. She cooks it in a cupcake pan for individual servings, but I think it makes a total mess that way. I have made them into meatballs and cooked on a broiler pan to let the grease drain. I also have used ground turkey to lighten it up!

I just put a meatloaf in the oven. I bake it at 375 for about an hour and 40 minutes. At about an hour I take it out and tilt the pan and take paper towel and get as much of the grease out as I can. I use 1 lb of lean beef and one pound of sausage. This is one of my hubbies favorite foods.

Sue, I usually spread catsup on top and cover with foil.

onvce i cleaned out fridge made a meatloaf best i ever had...Can io remember what was in it,not if my life deopended on it.i put mix ketchup with brown sugar,pour on top like the last hour mmm

My elderly brother is living with us and will not eat beans of any sort. I take beans, usually pinto, and mash them up and put in my meatloaf and most everything else that was mentioned above. We love it and DB gobbles it up like it's wonderful not knowing he's getting some beans.

My own Mom used to add grape jelly and BBQ sauce.

My brother gave me a meat loaf pan with an insert that allows the fat to drain out. The only problem is that it makes a smaller loaf - the dimensions are 10X5x3. So I only use it when it's just the two of us.

Here is a link that might be useful: meat loaf pan with drainer

I think I'm going to have to save all the responses
they all sound delicious. It will be getting cooler her soon (in 90's now) and I'll be putting the oven on again!!

Thanks everyone when is someone going to start a cookbook of KT stuff??

I make a savory meatloaf, so no ketchup or bbq sauce. And we eat it with brown gravy.

My secret is to shape the meat into a large "burger" in a glass pie plate rather than cook in a loaf pan. Then I brush the whole thing with some dark soy sauce, then a good grinding of pepper all over. This makes a great crust and the shape increases the crust ratio (can you tell the crust is my favourite part lol?).

I make mine with Campbells Onion soup, egg, bread crumbs,lean ground beef,green pepper.I chop some green pepper into the mix and then put pepper circles on top.