Mom's Meatloaf

This is meatloaf the way mom made it, no fancy ingredients, just an honest, tender loaf that slices clean and tastes like home. Diced onion and celery go right into the ground beef mixture, melting in as it bakes to keep the loaf moist and add gentle savory depth.

The smart step here is baking it covered with foil for most of the time. Trapping the steam keeps the meatloaf from drying out, the downfall of so many loaves. Only at the end do you uncover it, slick the top with ketchup, and give it a final stint in the oven to set that classic tangy glaze.

Let it rest a couple of minutes before slicing so it holds together on the plate.

Pro Tips

• Mix just until combined; overworking the meat makes a dense, rubbery loaf.
• Bake it covered to keep it moist, then uncover only to set the ketchup glaze.
• Let it rest before slicing so the juices settle and the slices hold their shape.

Variations

• Swap in ground turkey or a beef-pork blend.
• Add a splash of Worcestershire or a spoon of mustard to the mix.
• Use a brown sugar and ketchup glaze for a sweeter top.