Classic Meatloaf with Saltines Recipe

Meatloaf with saltines is a classic, timeless weeknight dinner for families. The tender juicy meat is flavorful and the best part is that you can serve any kind of side dishes to go with it.

This southern meatloaf recipe with crackers is the classic recipe my Mom cooked when I was growing up. Mom made the best meatloaf with saltine crackers. She always made her meatloaf glaze with ketchup, too. Her recipe was always a family favorite.

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Best Meat for Meatloaf

One of the great things about a meatloaf recipe is its versatility. You can use most any kind of ground meat. Substitute ground chuck, lean ground beef, or even ground turkey. The secret to a moist meatloaf is the fat in the ground meat. Never use more than 85% lean ground beef.

Why make meatloaf with saltine crackers?

Meatloaf needs a binder to hold it together. This classic meatloaf recipe uses saltines combined with other ingredients like eggs and sour cream as the binder.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef, preferably ground chuck
• About 25 saltine crackers, crushed
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1 tbsp dry minced onion
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Glaze Ingredients

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)

Kitchen tip: How to crush Saltine crackers

Place saltines into a Ziploc bag and crush them using a rolling pin or a meat mallet to create cracker crumbs. You can also use a mini Food processor, like this to crush crackers quickly.

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking pan.

Prepare a 9×13 baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet pan by covering with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I recommend using a wire rack to set the meatloaf on so the grease drops under the meatloaf during the cooking process.

If you have a loaf pan, spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

Note: This loaf pan is made for meatloaf. It allows you to lift out the done meatloaf while leaving the drippings behind.

Step 2

Add all of the meatloaf ingredients to a large bowl and mix together. You can mix with a wooden spoon or wet hands to combine the meat mixture. I prefer to wear kitchen gloves that I spray with nonstick cooking spray and then mix by hand.

Step 3

Once you have all of the ingredients mixed well, shape the beef mixture into a loaf on you prepared baking dish or press into your prepared loaf pan.

Step 4

Place the pan of meatloaf on the middle rack in your preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Your meat thermometer should read 160°F when inserted into the center of the meatloaf.

Step 5: Make Meatloaf Glaze

In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar, if using. Set aside to glaze the meatloaf after baking it.

Step 6

Remove the meatloaf from the oven once the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Spread the meatloaf glaze over the top generously, allowing some to drip down the sides. Then return the baking dish to the oven. Allow the glaze to bake onto the meatloaf for about 10-15 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Allowing the meatloaf to rest lets the juices stay in the meat for a more moist and flavorful meal. Slice, serve and enjoy.

Meatloaf is a classic comfort food. If you enjoy trying different meatloaf recipes Also try these; Meatloaf with Brown Gravy recipe or this Cheesy Potato Topped Meatloaf recipe.

Can meatloaf be frozen?

Yes meatloaf can be frozen and stored for up to three months in the freezer. Cool completely to room temperature. Slice the meatloaf into serving portions, which makes reheating easier.

Next wrap the completely cooled meatloaf first in parchment or freezer paper. Then wrap it in aluminum foil. Mark the date and contents on the outside of the foil using a marker and place it into the freezer.

Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat the individual pieces in the microwave.

More Weeknight Dinners for Family

• Oven Baked Smothered Cube Steak recipe
• 3 Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings recipe
• Baked Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas recipe
• Crockpot Beef Tips & Gravy easy 2 ingredient recipe
• Glazed Baked Spam easy recipe for dinner
• Easy Classic Lasagna recipe, leftovers are great

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