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Mom's Meat Loaf

Photo Credit
MSPhotographic/shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
about 9 pieces
Category
Meat
Course
Main Dish
Preparation Method
Bake
Sources
Yankee Magazine

For some people, meat loaf is a “backup” meal when there’s nothing else in the house or you need to bring an easy meal to friends or family. For others, however, meat loaf can be a very special treat. Wait until you try this recipe.

Topping the meat loaf with bacon provides extra flavor. It’s denser than most meat loaves, and it tastes great the next day in a sandwich with sautéed onions and ketchup. 

Ingredients
3 slices white bread, crust removed
3/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound raw chorizo sausage, casing removed
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried sage
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup ketchup
3 bacon strips, uncooked

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread in a small bowl. Pour milk over it and let the bread soak up as much liquid as it will hold.
  2. In a large bowl, knead together beef, pork, and chorizo. Add bread, any milk left in the bowl, onions, eggs, salt, herbs, nutmeg, and ketchup. With clean hands, knead until ingredients are uniformly distributed.
  3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On the prepared sheet, mold the meat into a loaf shape, about 9 inches long.
  4. Lay bacon strips lengthwise on top. Bake 1 hour. Remove and let rest 20 minutes on a cooling rack. Transfer to a cutting board; slice and serve.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Carolyn</span> Sat, 03/29/2025 - 11:59
My mom would never have found chorizo in the store to even put in her meatloaf 🤣 try just hamburger.
<span>Joe</span> Fri, 03/28/2025 - 20:30
I wish more people knew not to cook on or with Aluminum foil. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin. But the recipe sounds great and I will try it.
<span>Lynn</span> Fri, 03/28/2025 - 10:20
My mom's meatloaf was usually hamburger, oatmeal, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, sometimes onions or green peppers. But it was always topped with ketchup mixed with a some brown sugar and a couple tablespoons of Worchester shire sauce near the end of baking. Yum!
<span>Amy</span> Thu, 05/14/2020 - 12:46
1/2 ground beef 1/2 sausage, green pepper chopped, minced onion, hot sauce, ketchup, 3-4 eggs, sleeve of crackers crushed up. mix pat out lil more than half for bottom lay down cheese of your liking then cover with other half of mix cook till almost done pull out cover with ketchup and cook another 5 mins. or so. I also use deer burger and sausage sometimes.
<span>Sussie Due</span> Tue, 09/25/2018 - 22:34
1 pound hamburger 3/4 cup oatmeal 1 cup V8 or Tomato Juice 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 egg Salt and paper to taste Garlic power (optional) Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Top with BBQ sauce or a mixture of one part ketchup to one part brown sugar. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
<span>Sandy</span> Wed, 01/16/2019 - 15:26
How much paper to taste is needed? How much power does the garlic need to have?
<span>Chris Bell</span> Tue, 09/25/2018 - 10:44
Tip: Saute onions, celery, and carrots. Then add to meatloaf mix. Brings out better flavor.