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Brenda Gantt Meatloaf Recipe

  • Author: Lee harsh
  • Total Time: 1 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Learn how to make Brenda Gantt’s classic meatloaf with simple, comforting ingredients and old-fashioned flavor—perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This Recipe bakes up tender, hearty, and satisfying, and it works great as a make-ahead main dish for leftovers or meal prepping.

Ingredients

Scale

Core Meatloaf Components

  • 3 lbs ground beef
  • 1 piece onion, minced
  • 1 piece bell pepper, chopped
  • 15 oz tomato sauce (1 can, divided use)
  • 1½ tablespoon sea salt
  • 1½ tablespoon black pepper
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 sleeve saltine crackers
  • 7 oz tomato sauce (½ can reserved for moisture in the well)

Optional Seasonings for Flavor Enhancement

  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp Garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix
  • 1 packet Ranch powder
  • 2 tablespoon Catsup
  • 1⅓ cups Corn Flakes crumbs

Catsup and Tomato Sauce Mixture

  • 3 tablespoon Catsup
  • 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey (adjust according to your preferred sweetness)

Glaze or Topping

  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 350°F to preheat.
    In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced onion, and chopped bell pepper. Mixing these components helps them bind together, creating a more consistent meatloaf and avoiding sections of plain meat.
  2. Add the entire 15 oz can of tomato sauce to the bowl. Include the salt, black pepper, and the three slightly beaten eggs. The eggs act as a binder for the meatloaf. You could stop here, add the crushed regular saltine crackers, mix everything, and proceed directly to Step 5.
  3. But I prefer to incorporate extra ingredients beyond the basic recipe for more flavor. This is not required; you can choose to add them if you want to experiment. Just include the additional ingredients listed earlier.
    Pour the milk over the top of the crumbs. Why do we do this? The milk softens the crumbs and helps tenderize the meatloaf as it bakes.
  4. Now, combine everything. Use your hands to gently fold the ingredients until they are evenly mixed. Ensure the tomato sauce and crackers are well incorporated, but avoid overworking the mixture. Overmixing activates the gluten proteins in the beef, which can make the meatloaf tough.
  5. Take the broiler pan that came with your oven—the one with small ridges on the bottom to let fat drain off. Pour a glass of water into the bottom of the pan. This creates steam during baking, keeping the meatloaf moist, and also prevents grease from sticking, which makes cleanup easier. Grease the broiler pan or line it with foil to simplify cleaning further.
  6. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf that fits well on the pan. Pat the ends to make them straight and smooth. Smooth out any cracks that appear during shaping, as these can cause the meatloaf to fall apart while cooking. Cracks also let juices escape during baking.
  7. Next, use your finger to press a shallow well or impression down the center of the loaf. This will hold the ketchup/tomato sauce mixture. Once the well is formed, pour the mixture into it until filled.
  8. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
  9. While it bakes, prepare the topping glaze. In a small bowl, mix ½ cup of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of mustard. Set this aside.
  10. After 45 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spread the glaze evenly over the top. This adds sweetness and gives the surface a glossy finish.
  11. Return the meatloaf to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the glaze is set and has turned a nice brown.
  12. Take it out of the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Cutting into it immediately will let the juices run out, leaving the meatloaf dry. Resting gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the loaf, which enhances flavor and moisture.

Notes

  1. For those seeking a substitute for breadcrumbs, oats work effectively. They achieve a comparable texture but cost significantly less. The process involves grinding oats in a blender or food processor until the consistency matches that of standard breadcrumbs.
  2. Brenda’s meatloaf recipe, for example, uses saltine crackers as a binder. This approach is common for meatloaves and meatballs. If saltine crackers are unavailable, any cracker or bread type can serve the same purpose.
  3. The recipe featured here, however, uses Corn Flakes crumbs. These crumbs are ideal because they prevent the meatloaf from becoming too dense. The cook values the subtle sweetness and the textural crunch they contribute to the final loaf.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 1385 kcal
  • Sugar: 35g
  • Fat: 73g
  • Carbohydrates: 11g
  • Fiber: 8g
  • Protein: 74g

Keywords: Brenda Gantt meatloaf recipe

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Find it online: https://news.culinaryhill.co.uk/brenda-gantt-meatloaf-recipe/