Patient-Pleasing Meatloaf

With ‘Dang Good’ sauce

Print Recipe

Servings: 6

This may be the best meatloaf you’ve ever had! Found in a recipe box decades ago when I was managing a hospital kitchen, it was always a patient and staff favorite. If you like a little “crust” on your meatloaf, ditch the loaf pan for as much surface area as possible.

Ingredients

2 pounds meatloaf mix (or 80/20 ground beef)

1½ cups breadcrumbs*

1 large onion, finely chopped

¾ cup ketchup

2 eggs

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons water

1 can (15-ounce) tomato sauce

1 sauce can of water

¼ cup yellow mustard

3 tablespoons each brown sugar and molasses

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Directions

Combine all meatloaf ingredients in a bowl (meat through salt) and mix well. Place into an oiled baking dish and form into a loaf, making indentions to puddle sauce.
Combine baking soda and water and brush loaf to make it extra crusty. Let stand 20 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine sauce ingredients (tomato sauce through vinegar) and lightly drizzle most of the sauce over the loaf, enough to pool around it. Reduce remainder on a low simmer as extra for cooked loaf.
Bake 40–50 minutes until the interior reaches 165 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with reduced sauce.