Meatloaf might be one of the oldest dinners in history with one origin dating back to Europe in the fifth century. Over the years, though, it’s earned its seat at American tables as an easy, filling, one-pan meal. Building the perfect meatloaf starts with using the right meat blend: One that has enough fat to create a juicy, flavorful profile and helps avoid that dry, boring meatloaf.
“It might be a hot take, but I think the different, specific cuts of beef are only important for fat content [and] do not actually change the flavor,” Dan Whalen, cookbook author and founder of The Food in My Beard (@tfimb on Instagram), exclusively advised Chowhound. When choosing beef, Whalen suggests a fat content between 15% and 20%. Since the fat is where the flavor is, be mindful of the other ingredients you add into the meatloaf. Breadcrumbs are essential, for example, because they help absorb fat instead of letting it drain out of the meat as it cooks; skipping them is one of those big meatloaf mistakes keeping you from a perfect recipe. Consider also what other types of meat you may add. Whalen prefers beef and pork, but also uses beef and turkey on occasion.
The right ground beef blend packs all the flavor
You can usually find “meatloaf mixture” options pre-combined and ready for purchase at your local grocery store. If you’re in a pinch, you can grab one of these. Your local butcher can likely also build a custom beef blend for you with the right beef-to-pork ratio and the fat content you’re looking for.
“The fat content is probably the most important thing to take into account when crafting a successful meatloaf,” Dan Whalen says, also stressing the importance of the breadcrumbs for absorption. You can still craft a delicious dish if you choose to use a beef-and-turkey meatloaf blend, but turkey is naturally leaner than pork. You might have to supplement that fat content a bit; “if you can find [85% lean turkey] and match the fat content with breadcrumbs, you can still end up with a juicy meatloaf,” says Whalen. If you’d rather choose a leaner turkey, you can build fat in other ways. Meatloaf is often topped with a ketchup glaze; using a heavy amount is one way to add more moisture. “You could mix the breadcrumbs with heavy cream, or even coconut oil, instead of the typical milk to get more fat into the loaf,” Whalen adds. Whether you choose a beef blend with pork or turkey, keeping that fat content in mind is what’s going to give you a balanced, juicy dish.
