This Classic Meatloaf Glaze With Brown Sugar elevates your meatloaf with a simple touch. This homemade sauce contains ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices, adding sweetness to the meatloaf.
In our home, meatloaf is a beloved comfort food that is considered classic. It's something I always want to have for dinner because it feels like a huge, bulky sweater wrapped around my shoulders, or because I'm homesick. However, without a flavorful tomato glaze to finish it off, even the greatest meatloaf recipe in the world is nothing. Meatloaf is definitely wonderful on its own, but the acidic glaze elevates it to a whole new level. Your favorite meatloaf recipe would be excellent with this simple meatloaf sauce recipe.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Basic components. This traditional meatloaf glaze's elegance resides in its taste balance and simplicity. A tangy-sweet glaze made with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and fragrant spices gives your meatloaf dish more moisture and incredible flavor.
- Easy addition. To make this glaze, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly while your meatloaf bakes. To ensure that the glaze doesn't burn and has time to mingle with the meatloaf for optimal flavor impact, add it toward the end of the cooking process. When baked, the brown sugar caramelizes nicely, giving the outside a delectably sticky texture that is hard to resist.
- Delectable. There's something special about covering the meatloaf with a delectable sweet-and-tangy sauce. It produces an exceptionally juicy meatloaf, enhances the flavor of an already fantastic dish, and improves the flavor of your meatloaf tenfold
Main Ingredients
The fact that you most likely already have all the ingredients in your pantry makes this delectable meatloaf glaze one of its best features. The principal components you'll need are as follows:
- Ketchup. adds a dash of sweetness and a deep tomato flavor to the standard glaze foundation.
- Brown sugar. contributes sweetness and aids in the glaze's caramelization, giving the meatloaf's baked crust a stunning golden hue.
- White vinegar. brings a hint of acidity to this syrup.
- Worcestershire sauce (optional). adds complexity of flavor and a hint of umami to the glaze.
- Spice mix. The savory undertones of garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper counterbalance the sweetness of the brown sugar in the glaze.
How To Make A Classic Meatloaf Glaze
This recipe for meatloaf sauce is so easy to make—it will be done in under five minutes!
- Mix the ingredients. Mix 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 ½ teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon each of garlic and onion powders, and ¼ teaspoon of powdered black pepper in a small bowl.
- Stir. Mix everything thoroughly by whisking it all together. Verify that all of the brown sugar has dissolved.
- Add to the meatloaf. After your meatloaf has cooked for ten to fifteen minutes more, take it out of the oven and carefully brush the top of the loaf with the glaze.
- Cook. Put the meatloaf back in the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the glaze is caramelized and the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Rest. Let the meatloaf settle for approximately ten minutes before slicing and serving.
Variations And Substitutions
- Add more sweetness to it. You can adjust the amount of brown sugar to your taste for a sweeter glaze.
- Put some spice in it. Use a tablespoon of Dijon mustard or a small amount of chili sauce to give the meatloaf glaze some extra spiciness.
- Increase the tang. You can change the ketchup-to-vinegar ratio to your preferred level of tanginess. Alternately, drizzle with some BBQ sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. To keep the meatloaf from burning, I suggested applying the brown sugar glaze at the end of cooking. This makes the meatloaf moist and delicious by allowing the glaze to caramelize and combine with the meatloaf mixture.
Without a doubt! You can use this zesty glaze as a tasty garnish on grilled chicken, meatballs, or even burgers. Use your imagination to try out various flavor combinations that will appeal to you.
Alternatively, you can form the meatloaf mixture into a loaf and bake it on a rimmed baking sheet for maximum covering, or you can bake it in a loaf pan. For added saucy taste, this enables you to cover the entire loaf with the meatloaf glaze.
It is possible to freeze meatloaf before cooking it. Prepare meatloaf as directed in order to freeze. Wrap securely with aluminum foil and plastic wrap, then freeze.
Cover the raw meatloaf and refrigerate overnight to defrost it. Next, adhere to the recipe's baking guidelines.
At 375°F, cook the meatloaf for 40 minutes without a lid. Bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, after adding the sauce. Increase the cooking time if you're using a loaf pan that is smaller than 9 by 5 inches.
The greatest way to make a good meatloaf become a superb meatloaf is to top it with a flavorful traditional glaze.
If you tried this Classic Meatloaf Glaze With Brown Sugar or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!
Easy Sides For Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli (Ready in 10 Minutes)
- Air Fryer Cheesy Potato Wedges
- Louisiana Voodoo Fries Recipe (Wingstop Copycat)
- Super Creamy Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Easy 3-ingredient Potato Soup
Recipe
Classic Meatloaf Glaze With Brown Sugar
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vinegar apple cider or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
- When the meatloaf has about 15 to 20 minutes left in the oven, pour the sauce evenly over the top of the meatloaf mixture and put it back in.
- Simmer the meatloaf for a further 20 minutes, or until it's cooked through and the glaze has turned golden brown on top.
NOTES
- Variations: Ground turkey or a mix of ground turkey and beef can be used in place of the meat. Additionally, you can combine ground turkey or beef with ground pork (or even Italian sausage).
- To guarantee that the onion will cook thoroughly, chop it finely. The onion could also be sautéed before being added to the mixture.
- Avoid Overmixing: To avoid a dense meatloaf, stir the meat mixture just until it is incorporated and then gently press it into the pan.
- To bake, form a piece of foil about the shape of a pan and place it on a baking sheet. As directed, form the meatloaf, place it in the foil to contain the drippings, and bake it.
- Let the meatloaf rest once it has been taken out of the oven so that the fluids can re-distribute. The meatloaf will be more tender and simpler to cut as a result.
Hanna says
This recipe looks so delicious, def going to try this meatloaf glaze
Claire says
I love meatloaf! This glaze sounds so yummy!
Hailey says
I can't wait to try this recipe! It sounds easy and delicious.
Jessica says
Wow, this glaze looks perfect for my meatloaf. Thank you for sharing!
Alice says
Meatloaf is my favorite comfort food. This glaze will make it even better!
Samantha says
I'm so excited to make this! The ingredients are simple and I have them all at home.
Brittany says
This glaze sounds amazing! I love the idea of adding brown sugar.
Isabella says
Thanks for the tips! I think I’ll add some BBQ sauce too.
Daisy says
I always wanted a good meatloaf recipe. This looks perfect!
Miranda says
'Delectable' is the right word! Can't wait to taste it myself!