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Finished brown sugar glazed meatloaf meatloaf

Meatloaf With Brown Sugar Glaze

A well-seasoned homemade meatloaf made with ground beef, saltine crackers, and milk, then finished with a thick, sweet-and-tangy brown sugar glaze.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatloaf
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 11/2 cups crushed saltine crackers
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 11/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
For the Brown Sugar Glaze
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 T packed brown sugar
  • 1 T yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease baking dish.
  2. In a large mixing bowl place crushed saltines and milk and let sit for 5 minutes to let milk soften cracker crumbs.
  3. Add the eggs, onion, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and all seasonings. Stir to combine.
  4. Add ground beef and gently mix until everything is combined. Do not overwork the meat.
  5. Transfer to your baking dish and gently form into a shape that best fits your dish. Keep the thickness as even as possible.
  6. Bake meatloaf uncovered and without glaze for 40 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, make the glaze using the listed ingredients above.
  8. After meatloaf has baked for 40 minutes, spoon glaze over meatloaf and continue baking for another 40 minutes and checking the internal temperature at 65-70 minutes of total baking time. The meatloaf is done when the internal temperature is 160℉.
  9. Remove meatloaf from oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

  • The uncooked mixture should feel moist but still hold its shape. If it seems unusually loose, mix in a small additional handful of cracker crumbs.
  • Mix and shape the meat gently. Overmixing or firmly packing it can make the finished meatloaf dense.
  • Add the glaze partway through baking so it has time to become thick and caramelized without burning.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container. Reheat the slices as they are, or use them to make meatloaf sandwiches with melted cheddar.