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    Home » Recipes » Entree

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf - With a Secret Ingredient

    Published: Jul 22, 2022 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Brown Sugar Meatloaf with a Secret Ingredient

    Your whole family will love this exceptionally tender Brown Sugar Meatloaf. It is loaded with the rich flavors of Worcestershire and French onion and painted with a sweet and tangy brown sugar glaze. This is comfort food at its finest. Taste why readers are calling this the best meatloaf recipe ever!

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf resting on tray.

    Is there any dinner entrée name that sounds more appealing than "Meatloaf"? Think about it... Loaf of meat. Mmm, tantalizing... I guess it is a perfectly descriptive name. Truth in advertising, if you will. However, growing up I never really had meatloaf. What I was served would be more aptly named "meatbrick". It was a largely flavorless, overly dense, hunk of meat, that sent me running from the idea of meatloaf for years.

    My family, however, loves meatloaf and routinely asks me to make it. I developed this brown sugar meatloaf recipe for them, and guess what? I love it too! Who knew meatloaf could taste good! Well, I guess everyone but me knew that. So, I guess I may be the last one to the party, but at least I have a tasty meatloaf recipe to show for it!

    I have since gone on and even created a Smoked Meatloaf and a Cheeseburger Meatloaf recipe. They taste insane, you'll want to check them both out!

    How to Make Brown Sugar Meatloaf

    This recipe is similar to a classic meatloaf (mom's meatloaf), but with an added secret ingredient. I add one powdered onion soup mix packet to the meatloaf mixture. I got the idea from my father-in-law, who uses it in his burgers. It really adds a great depth of flavor to the meatloaf, without being overpowering at all.

    The best meatloaf is tender, not a dense brick. Adding breadcrumbs and milk helps keep the meatloaf tender while adding moisture, and the egg will bind it all together. One cup of breadcrumbs and one cup of milk in this easy recipe makes it exceptionally tender. If you like a firmer meatloaf you can cut back on these amounts slightly.

    To make the meatloaf all of the meat mixture ingredients get combined in a small bowl or mixing bowl. This is then formed into a loaf, typically using a loaf pan. All of the brown sugar sauce ingredients get similarly mixed and then are painted on top of the loaf as a sweet and tangy glaze, as well as inside the loaf pan. At this point, the raw meatloaf is ready for baking!

    Glazed brown sugar meatloaf.

    At what temperature should I bake Meatloaf?

    The best temperature for baking meatloaf is in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees. It is a low enough temperature to allow the interior of the meatloaf to heat up before the exterior dries out.

    How long to bake meatloaf

    When baking meatloaf in a bread loaf pan it takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. However, it is important to note cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your meatloaf, using a digital oven thermometer will ensure you remove the Brown Sugar Meatloaf as soon as it is done baking. No one wants to eat overcooked dry meatloaf!

    Ingredient Substitutions

    I understand that not every kitchen is stocked with each ingredient you need, and sometimes you forget to grab the right items at the store. Here are some easy substitutions for this recipe.

    • Meat - Rather than using lean ground beef, this would also work excellent as a venison meatloaf. Ground turkey is also a lean meat that can be used to make your meat loaf. Finally, ground pork can also be used. Ground pork works well by itself or blended with your ground beef (Frankly, that would be an amazing combo with the BBQ sauce in my BBQ Meatloaf recipe).
    • Breadcrumbs - Rather than traditional breadcrumbs you can use panko breadcrumbs instead, or make your own bread crumbs from crumbling toast or saltine cracker crumbs! I do not recommend using Italian bread crumbs or you will throw off the flavor.
    • Milk - Feel free to substitute beef broth.
    • Worcestershire sauce - You could add a little soy sauce, or eliminate this ingredient completely.

    What hamburger should I use?

    The best hamburger to use in meatloaf is the traditional 80/20 blend of meat/fat, such as ground chuck. This is the same blend the best burgers are made from. If you go with lean ground beef, like a 90/10 ground beef, your meatloaf will not have enough moisture and will lack juiciness and flavor. Conversely, too much fat would lead to a big greasy mess. 80/20 beef is the sweet spot where there is enough fat to be juicy but not so much that the meatloaf turns greasy.

    Easy Meatloaf recipe view from above.

    Meatloaf Glaze

    The meatloaf glaze is what separates a good meatloaf from a great meatloaf. In a pinch you can certainly use a plain ol' ketchup glaze, however, adding brown sugar and cider vinegar to your ketchup mixture adds an enticingly sweet and sour component that your family won't be able to get enough of.

    The brown sugar glaze is exceedingly simple to make, just mix together ½ cup of ketchup, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and a quarter cup of cider vinegar and paint it on the meatloaf before it goes in the oven.

    Meatloaf FAQs

    Can you freeze meatloaf?

    Yes, you can mix the meatloaf in advance and store it in the freezer prior to baking. I recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a freezer safe bag to prevent freezer burn. Also plan on letting it thaw out in the refrigerator for a day or longer prior to baking.

    How to reheat leftover meatloaf?

    Leftover meatloaf can be reheated at the same temperature as baking it (350 degrees). However, I do recommend covering it with aluminum foil so it doesn't dry out. It will reheat faster than it initially cooked, so check on it periodically. Use leftovers to make a phenomenal meatloaf sandwich the next day.

    Can you make meatloaf on a baking sheet?

    Using a loaf pan is the most common way to make meatloaf, but you can certainly make it on a baking sheet as well if you don't have one available. The loaf just needs to be formed with your hands and it will generally keep its shape. You can also use a muffin tin to make individual meatloaves.

    What to serve with it?

    Mashed potatoes! There is no greater side dish, or more classic pairing to make a complete meal with meatloaf than fluffy mashed potatoes! This is a great pairing not only because they taste great together, but also because the mashed potatoes can be prepared on the stove top while the meatloaf bakes. You could even make some buttermilk cornbread to serve with the meatloaf. Cornbread can be made in advance and warmed prior to serving, or you can bake them with the meatloaf, even though the oven temperature may not be perfect.

    Try any of these vegetables on the side:

    • Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
    • Southern Fried Corn
    • Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
    • Lemon Roasted Green Beans
    • Southern Fried Cabbage
    • Roasted Asparagus
    Brown Sugar Meatloaf with Secret Ingredient

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf

    Your family will love this exceptionally tender Brown Sugar Meatloaf. It is loaded with the rich flavors of Worcestershire and French onion and painted with a sweet brown sugar glaze!
    4.96 from 121 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 668kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • Bread loaf pan

    Ingredients

    Meatloaf

    • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 1 ounce packet onion soup mix
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1 teaspoon table salt (or to taste)
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup milk

    Sauce

    • ½ cup ketchup
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup brown sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Gently crumble ground beef in a large bowl, breaking up into small pieces. Add remaining meatloaf ingredients to the bowl and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
    • Mix all sauce ingredients together and spread half of the sauce along the bottom and sides of a bread loaf pan.
    • Add meatloaf to a loaf pan and press firmly into a loaf shape.
    • Liberally paint remaining sauce over the loaf.
    • Place meatloaf in the oven and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees.
    • Let rest for five minutes, then slice and serve.

    Video

    Notes

    YOU WILL WANT TO SERVE this meatloaf with my Light and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes. Click to find out the secret!

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1237mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 5.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com on April 7, 2017.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alyssa

      August 16, 2018 at 9:42 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight but mixed in ground veal and ground pork with the beef. Plus I added a little spicy mustard to the sauce. It was fantastic!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        August 17, 2018 at 8:17 am

        Those all sound like fantastic substitutions!!!

        Reply
    2. Emily

      August 16, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      I have leftover chopped up onion....how much would I need in place of the onion soup mix? Would that still work?😁

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        August 16, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Chopped up onion alone would not be an equal substitution. The onion soup mix adds a lot of additional seasoning to the meatloaf, the onion itself is actually secondary.

        Reply
    3. Randy

      August 01, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      I am making it tonight on my Pit Boss pellet grill. It looks really good can’t wait to try it out.
      Thanks Randy

      Reply
    4. Ashley

      July 18, 2018 at 1:13 pm

      5 stars
      This is an amazing meatloaf recipe - thanks so much for sharing! Meatloaf is my husband's favorite and I've struggled trying to duplicate his mom's recipe. But this one - he loved! Made your mashed potatoes to go with it and they were delish as well. Bonus: my two girls ages 6 and 3 asked for seconds and cleaned their plates

      Reply
      • Kristy

        July 20, 2019 at 3:43 pm

        I forgot to add Worcestershire sauce!! I did everything else exactly as it says. Will it still taste ok?

        Reply
        • Fox Valley Foodie

          July 20, 2019 at 3:47 pm

          Yes, it will still taste great.

          Reply
    5. Lori

      July 17, 2018 at 3:07 pm

      My grandmother's recipe almost exactly!!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        July 17, 2018 at 3:10 pm

        That's crazy! Or maybe I am secretly your grandmother living a double life as a food blogger...

        Reply
    6. Ms B

      July 15, 2018 at 3:04 pm

      I have everything in the cupboard EXCEPT the onion soup packet. Totally disappointed. Is the a substitute for this or can I just omit the onion soup packet completely?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        July 15, 2018 at 5:17 pm

        It will be more flavorful with the onion soup packet, but you can certainly do it without. I would increase the black pepper to 1/2 tsp, add some dijon or brown mustard (1 tbsp), and garlic and onion powder (1 tsp each) to compensate - just off the top of my head.

        Reply
    7. Kamela Gahl

      June 01, 2018 at 6:57 am

      I just made this meatloaf and my boyfriend if 15 years won't stop eating it and he said this is the best dinner I have ever made. Lol Thank You

      Reply
    8. Jeff Steele

      April 28, 2018 at 8:02 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Ben,
      This was my first ever attempt at making a meatloaf and I am happy to say that it turned out well.
      My family thought it was terrific with lots of requests to make it a regular event.

      Cant thank you enough, keep up the good work!

      Reply
    9. Katherine

      March 12, 2018 at 12:23 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! Thanks so much!

      Reply
    10. Tara

      February 01, 2018 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      Best meatloaf ever!!! One made it several times now and it never disappoints ! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    11. Diane C Swiontek

      January 28, 2018 at 10:20 am

      I just put this in the oven for my Husband as I don't like meatloaf. It's more of a texture thing for me. I am using ground venison in place of the hamburger. Will see how it turns out

      Reply
      • Kelly Church

        April 11, 2019 at 2:21 pm

        I have ground venison to use as well, I need to make meatloaf with venison. How did yours turn out? I dont want to hide the gamey taste that much. Hiding some is ok but not all of it.

        Reply
    12. Pat

      January 21, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      This was the most disappointment meatloaf recipe I have ever tried.

      Reply
    13. Lindsay

      January 21, 2018 at 12:04 am

      I would love to try this. My son is allergic to tomatoes. Is there another ingredient I could mix with the cider vinegar and brown sugar for the top?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        January 21, 2018 at 7:47 am

        Hmm, maybe mix with some melted butter and brush the mixture on the meatloaf, just lightly enough to add flavor. Using BBQ sauce instead would work wonderfully, but that is typically tomato based and the ones that aren't wouldn't be a good fit. Otherwise the meatloaf will still taste great without the sauce.

        Reply
        • Lindsay

          January 21, 2018 at 8:15 am

          Thank you!!!!

          Reply
      • Doug

        September 23, 2018 at 8:15 pm

        5 stars
        I am not a ketchup fan and I am diabetic, so I cut carbs where I can. I use 1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup mustard, and 1/4 cup A1 Steak sauce. Makes a good, sweet and tangy topping.

        Reply
        • Fox Valley Foodie

          September 23, 2018 at 8:17 pm

          That sounds like a fantastic substitution!

          Reply
    14. Ashley

      January 16, 2018 at 8:07 pm

      5 stars
      This was AMAZING!! I’m not normally a meatloaf person but this was delicious!!

      Reply
    15. Debbie Marshall

      January 14, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was an awesome recipe my children loved it, they ate the whole pan.

      Reply
    16. Tara

      January 09, 2018 at 7:54 am

      I am allergic to onions. Could an Italian Seasoning pack be used instead?

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        January 09, 2018 at 8:50 am

        I am not sure how good that would taste. Try adding a teaspoon of garlic powder, increase the black pepper to 1/2 tsp, and 1 ground beef bouillon cube. I'm making this up on the fly, but it should taste good.

        Reply
        • Melissa

          January 10, 2018 at 2:02 pm

          I am also allergic to onion. Do I just mash the beef cube and sprinkle it into the mix or can it just been thrown in there?

          Reply
          • Fox Valley Foodie

            January 10, 2018 at 2:04 pm

            Mash it up into a powder and sprinkle it in.

            Reply
    17. Marjorie

      December 20, 2017 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      Well this is it! I seriously doubt that I will make meatloaf with any other recipe. It is moist, flavorful, perfect. Not only is this a great recipe but it is the easiest and quickest to make. Thanks so much for posting this.

      Reply
    18. Marsha

      December 06, 2017 at 7:20 pm

      I made this meatloaf as you suggested with beef broth. The taste was amazing. For the last forty years I have been making the same recipe with hardly any liquid in the meat, resulting in a much firmer texture. So what do you think of cutting the liquid and breadcrumbs by half, would it make too dry, or resemble my standard recipe.

      Reply
    19. Emma

      December 01, 2017 at 2:45 am

      How do you stop your meatloaf from being a greasy mess? I love meatloaf but hate the poos of oils and
      It falling apart..

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        December 01, 2017 at 8:36 am

        The grease comes from the fat in the beef. Using leaner beef will result in less greasy meatloaf, but it will also be less moist (not as good in my opinion). If you want to get it out of the pools of grease you can try baking it on a bed of chopped onions. The grease will drain down by the onions while the meatloaf sits high and dry.

        Reply
      • Izzy

        October 08, 2019 at 5:46 am

        Walmart sells a meatloaf pan with an insert that allows grease to drain into bottom. I have used and it works great. Kohls also has them, but they are pretty pricey there.

        Reply
    20. Marsha

      November 30, 2017 at 5:31 am

      Instead of using milk for the moisture content what would you use or could it be left out and increase the eggs to 2 .

      The recipe looks amazing to me except for the milk.
      Can’t wait for your thoughts

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        November 30, 2017 at 8:14 am

        Adding milk to breadcrumbs creates a "panade" which creates a more moist and tender meatloaf. The good news is it doesn't have to be milk. You can use a milk substitute like soy or almond milk, or simply use beef broth instead. They all should turn out great!

        Reply
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