What is the Secret to Juicy Meatloaf?

Meatloaf is a classic American comfort food that people either love for its taste and versatility or see as a lump of ground beef shoved into a pan. One of the best ways to convert the latter is by taking your meatloaf to the next level to create a perfect, juicy meatloaf every single time, but what is the secret to juicy meatloaf?

The secret to juicy meatloaf starts with choosing your ingredients. High-fat meat like pork, veal, or a high-fat cut of ground beef, for example, will create a juicier meatloaf than leaner beef, turkey, chicken, or rabbit. You can also opt to add some bacon for extra fat in your meatloaf as well. Other ingredients like eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, and other wet seasonings are also great for adding flavoring and working as binders to combine all the ingredients while keeping the meat juicy. When adding your dry mixture, avoid using pre-packaged breadcrumbs. Instead, opt for bread soaked in milk, cream, or stock. Finally, when mixing your ingredients, do it slowly and carefully, one ingredient at a time. Keep your handling loose and light-handed to create a loaf that may not seem compact enough but will firm up quickly in the oven and create a juicy meatloaf.