Help my meatloaf always falls apart?

Question

How do I make a meatloaf without it falling apart when I slice it. Also what is your meatloaf recipe?

Answer 1

To about 1 lb. ground sirloin (I like 96/4), I add 1 egg, about 3/4 c. Italian bread crumbs.  I change out my seasonings to vary them.  Sometimes I'll add a package of dry onion soup.  Last night, I added fresh chopped basil, oregano & rosemary; and a little bit of high quality Italian dressing.  Sometimes I'll add BBQ sauce to the mixture, and then some on top ......  Let it sit about 5-10 min. before you cut it

Answer 2

this is my recipe for meatloaf:

You will need a mixing bowl add the following all together:

1lb ground round - don't get it to lean because you have to  add     many ingredients to give it flavor.

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons dry onion flakes

2 medium eggs

1/2 cup of ketchup

Bottle of Ketchup

1/2 Contadena Bread Crumbs - I like this brand because they add season to the bread crumbs. (I season the meat...they season the bread)

Mix all your ingredients except the bottle of ketchup. Get a scoop of mixture in your hand if it stays together in your hand than it is ready for your bread pan. Put mixture in the pan, press down so you don't have any air pockets. Squeeze a layer of ketchup on to of meatloaf.

Heat your over first at 350 degrees, about 10 minutes for me.

place you pan on a cookie sheet. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the meatloaf separate from the sides of pan.

Cut your meatloaf about the size of a bread slice and it should hold up well.

Answer 3

If it falls apart, you are probably slicing it too soon after taking it out of the oven. Let it "rest" for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Answer 4

Make sure knife is sharp, use all of the blade, dont just push down

Answer 5

do you use eggs? one or two should hold it together. my meatloaf (rarely make it -- as you know we aren't meat eaters. but i used to make it...) was ground beef or turkey, one egg, 1/2 c breadcrumbs, 1/2 can crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, chopped garlic.

Answer 6

Add more eggs. My recipe is Lipton Onion Soup mix, meat (obviously), egg, bread crumbs, and a dash of salt and pepper.

Answer 7

I agree with everyone else... more eggs, or moisten your binding agents (oats or bread crumbs usually) more.

I don't make the traditional form and slice meatloaf, but here's my recipe....

1lb of ground beef

1 egg

1/2-3/4c of quick oats

3tablespoons of worschestershire sauce

1 onion, diced

1/2 cup of warm/hot water with 3 beef bullion disolved

mix beef, egg, oats, sauce, and onion together in a 9x9 pam sprayed pan. add warm water after buillion is mostly broken up and disolved. spread flat in pan. bake at 400 degrees until done. about 30min. cut into squares or spoon onto plates.

Answer 8

you probably don't have enough bread crumbs and/or eggs in the mix to bing it all together.  I think fresh bread crumbs do a better job than dry, in the case of meatloaf.

Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf with Brown Sugar - Ketchup Glaze

If you like, you can omit the bacon topping from the loaf. In this case, brush on half the glaze before baking and the other half during the last fifteen minutes of baking.     Serves 6 to 8

Brown Sugar - Ketchup Glaze

1/2 cup ketchup  or chili sauce

4 Tbsp.s brown sugar  

4 Tbsp.s cider vinegar  or white vinegar

Meat Loaf

2 tsp. vegetable oil  

1 medium onion  , chopped medium

2 medium cloves of garlic  , minced

2 large eggs  

½ tsp. dried thyme  

1 tsp. table salt  

½ tsp. ground black pepper  

2 tsp. Dijon mustard  

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce  

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce  

½ cup whole milk  or plain yogurt

1 pound ground chuck  

½ pound ground pork  

½ pound ground veal  

2/3 cup Saltine crackers  , crushed (about 16), or quick oatmeal, or 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/3  cup fresh parsley leaf  , minced

8-12 slices bacon

1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.

2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple Tbsp.s at a time until mix no longer sticks.)

4. Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf .

5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

--Cooks Illustrated,  Sept.1996

Answer 9

Are you using enough crumbs, oats or whatever you use. Also are you draining the grease off of it as it cooks?

Answer 10

eggs and breadcrumbs (or oats) work as a binder...

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 c minced onion

1/2 c minced bell pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

3/4 c bread crumbs

1  egg beaten

1/4 c milk

4 T ketchup

1 t  mustard

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

using your hands combine all ingredients (do not over work)

place in loaf pan or form into a loaf on baking sheet.

cook for 1 hour at 350..

meanwhile....prepare your topping

1 T oil

2 T minced onion

1 t salt

2 T Worcestershire

2 T brown sugar

1/2 c water

1/2 ketchup

in a small sauce pan heat oil and cook onions &salt over low heat for 5 mins ......meanwhile combine Worcestershire,brown sugar,water,& ketchup...add to onions .....let simmer30 mins

add sauce to meat loaf during the last  20 mins of baking.

    

Answer 11

Here is my recipe for meatloaf;

http://www.cherskitchen.com/recipes/beef...

I find that one of the keys to a meatloaf that doesn't fall apart is to refrigerate the formed loaf for at least an hour before baking.  That gives the breadcrumbs enough time to absorb moisture.  Also make sure you let it rest about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven before slicing.