What is the Best Binder for Meatloaf? (2024)

FAQs

What is the Best Binder for Meatloaf? ›

What type of binder? A good meatloaf needs to stick together (and stick to your ribs!). Arturo recommends using a panade, which is a mixture of milk, eggs and breadcrumbs. "It will act as a binder and add moisture to the meat," he said.

The best binder for meatloaf is something you probably already have in your kitchen, bread! It's the most popular option, and people always have some lying around. Bread can be fresh, stale, or dry when used as a binder, as long as you tear it into small pieces or run it through a food processor to get smaller pieces.

In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs. Your binding ingredient is only second to the meat itself in your recipe and the reason why meatloaf crumbles. When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs.

The Basic Meatloaf Formula

All recipes for meatloaf start with the same basic formula: 2 pounds of ground meat and a “panade” made of bread or crackers soaked in milk. Along with a few eggs, this panade helps to hold the ground meat together and adds some essential moisture to the mix.

Arturo recommends using a panade, which is a mixture of milk, eggs and breadcrumbs. "It will act as a binder and add moisture to the meat," he said. "For a three-pound meatloaf, the panade can be made with 1 cup milk, 2 eggs and 2 cups of breadcrumbs or white bread with the crust removed torn into pieces."

Rice Krispies works great as a binder material thanks to their plain, starchy, porous, and crisp structure. Because these rice bits are relatively tasteless, they also bulk up and soak up the flavor of the spices and meat in the meal you are cooking.

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

Combine ground beef, onion, milk, bread crumbs and egg in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Transfer into prepared loaf pan. Mix ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard together in a small bowl until well combined; pour over meatloaf and spread it evenly over the top.

What is meatloaf mix made of? ›

You can often buy meatloaf mix at the store, but if you'd rather make your own, it's simple to do. The ratio of meatloaf mix is usually 1:1:1, meaning that you'll need equal parts ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.

One of the most common reasons meatloaf is watery is an overabundance of liquid ingredients. Adding broth, milk, or eggs can enhance flavor and moisture, but too much can lead to a soupy consistency. Use these ingredients sparingly, and consider adding breadcrumbs or oats to absorb excess moisture.

Oats are a great breadcrumb substitute when used as a binder in meatballs or meatloaf. Try them in one of Ree Drummond's favorite recipes: BBQ comfort meatballs. Just keep in mind that they don't add much flavor, so if you're using them in a recipe that calls for breadcrumbs, you may need to add extra seasoning.

Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.