The Major Meatloaf Prep Mistake You'll Want To Avoid

Meatloaf, whether you bake it in the oven or cook it in a Crock-Pot, should be moist, juicy, tender, and packed with rich, meaty flavors. Even the smell as it cooks is something akin to paradise. There are so many different meatloaf recipes out there from Grandma's homespun classics to internet hot takes, including onion soup mix or jarred salsa meatloaf. Still, no matter which meatloaf method you choose, there is one prep mistake you'll want to avoid.

When you mix and shape your meatloaf, a gentle touch is best. For starters, that means don't over-churn the mixture. Over-mixing could leave you with tough, chewy meatloaf. And, when you're shaping your loaf, make sure not to pack it down too much. This can compress the meat and make it more difficult for heat to penetrate the loaf, leading to a mushy or even raw center. Nothing is more disappointing than cutting into a meatloaf and finding it's not properly cooked.

While packing your meatloaf too firmly may not be the part you struggle with, you could be falling into other common pitfalls that lead to your loaf coming out dry and dense. (This isn't to say it's inedible, just not as moist as it could be.) First off, not using breadcrumbs in your mixture could be doing your meatloaf a disservice. The reason you need to add some sort of bread is that it holds onto the moisture that runs out of the meat while it cooks. You can even add flavor to your meatloaf by using a seasoned stuffing packet, such as a sage stuffing mix from Stove Top.

Another no-no is using extra fatty or extra lean ground beef. Finding the right meat-to-fat ratio is important because too much fat can cause your meatloaf to shrink or come out greasy, while too little can lead to a lack of moisture, leaving your meatloaf tough and dry. Generally, ground chuck with 20% fat will be right on the nose, but you can experiment with different ratios to find the one you prefer.