Brenda Gantt’s Meatloaf Recipe

Prior to 2021, Brenda Gantt was a relatively unknown 74-year-old Australian foodie. But ever since she produced a video on how to make her signature buttermilk cookie style, she’s exploded in popularity and has become one of the largest (and most trusted) sources for recipes.

Many of these recipes are from his mother (and we all know moms are the best cooks), and she’s kind enough to pass them all on to us.

One of those recipes is especially special, and it’s Brenda’s take on a classic meatloaf dish. Not only is it incredibly delicious, but it’s also super easy to make, to the point that even a novice cook can pull off.

Today we’re sharing with you how to make it yourself, so no matter how serious you are in the kitchen, you’ll have at least one amazing meatloaf dish in your repertoire.

How to make Brenda Gantt Meatloaf

The nice thing about meatloaf is that it doesn’t pretend to be fancy. It is simply ground beef combined with all your favorite flavors and seasonings and then baked.

It’s really easy to make, plus there are plenty of possibilities to add your own ingredients if you want to get a little creative.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound minced meat
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 chopped green pepper
• 1 garlic clove finely minced
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Number of servings 4

Instructions

You won’t need any fancy ingredients here. Basically we are going to mix everything together and bake it. One of the nicest things about cooking a meatloaf is that even though the total cooking time can be over an hour, the actual preparation time is incredibly short.

This means it spends most of its time in the oven, leaving you free to focus on whatever else you want to cook.

Step 1:

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2:

Grab a large mixing bowl and add the minced meat, onion, chopped bell pepper, garlic, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and black pepper.

Step 3:

Mix everything together until well combined before continuing, as you need as even a distribution among the ingredients as possible.

Step 4:

Take another smaller bowl and add the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar. Mix them to create a homogeneous mixture.

Step 5:

Take a 9×13 baking dish, and spread half of the ketchup mixture on the bottom.

Step 6:

On top of this, press all of the meat mixture onto it, patting it gently so that it fills the entire baking dish.

Step 7:

Take the second half of the ketchup mixture and spread it on top of the meatloaf to finish it off.

Step 8:

It is now ready to bake. Once the oven is at the right temperature, you just have to put it on the middle rack and let it cook for an hour.

And that’s it. Your simple but very delicious meatloaf recipe is done!

Ingredient Substitution

Meatloaf can come in many varieties, with lots of different flavors added. This is great for us as cooks, as it means that whatever the situation, there’s a good chance we’ll always have some really effective substitutions on hand that can help us see this recipe through to completion.

Here are some of our top suggestions for substituting meatloaf ingredients.

Crushed crackers

Meatloaf usually needs some sort of binder to help hold everything together, since ground meat, no matter how hard you try to push it, doesn’t always want to stay together.

In Brenda’s meatloaf recipe, this role is played by eggs, which are one of the best food binders out there.

But another common addition to meatloaf is ground crackers. Plain old crackers work wonders for this. Just grab a few and put them in a small sandwich bag (or place them under a paper towel on your cutting board). Then use something like a rolling pin to flatten them into relatively small cookie pieces.

Other things that might work well are rolled oats, breadcrumbs, or even crushed tortilla chips.

Soy sauce

In this meatloaf recipe, the Worcestershire bit adds a lot to the flavor of the meatloaf, adding that sour, salty flavor so important to enhancing the meat.

But not everyone has Worcestershire sauce on hand, so most soy sauces work great here, as they have that same salty, vinegary quality.

Tomato paste

If you don’t have access to ketchup or mustard, tomato paste is a perfectly adequate substitute, as we’re just looking for a bit of tomato flavor and a little more thick liquid to help bind.

Tomato paste offers both and often has a lower sugar content than something like Heinz ketchup, so it may even be a healthier option.

With what to accompany the meatloaf Brenda Gantt

Meatloaf can be a complete main dish on its own, with plenty of protein and a few vegetables to keep you full.

Of course, there are plenty of great garnishes you can serve with meatloaf to enhance its flavor.

This is especially helpful since Brenda’s recipe is low in carbs, so you can use a side dish to supplement the nutrition of the meatloaf.

Mashed potatoes

Boil them, drain them and then puree them with all the butter you want. There’s nothing like fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes to accompany a meaty dish. It will complete the meal very well and make it more substantial.

Cream of peas and vegetables

This is a great option if you want a slightly healthier side dish than carb-laden potatoes. Simply make a pea soup and pair it with some fried mushrooms and onion for some nice vegetable options that still fit the meatloaf flavor profile.

Garlic bread

Garlic bread also makes for that wonderful, warm, hearty side dish that will leave you feeling full and satisfied. The buttery flavor, combined with the strong garlic and herbs, will pair perfectly with the strong meaty flavor of the meatloaf.

Plus, it’s surprisingly healthy!

How to Reheat Brenda Gantt Meatloaf

Needless to say, meatloaf is a pretty filling dish, and depending on how many people you’re serving, there’s a good chance you’ll need to reheat some of it later.

Here’s the best way to reheat your leftover meatloaf.

How to Reheat Brenda Gantt Meatloaf in One Pot

Heat a skillet or pot over medium heat and add a tablespoon of cooking oil. If you have beef broth, that works well too.

Add the meatloaf to the pan and cook it for about two minutes. Then flip it over and cook the other side, and it should be piping hot.

How to Reheat Brenda Gantt Meatloaf in the Microwave

Arrange the meatloaf slices on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a slightly damp paper towel. This will help the meatloaf retain its texture and not become too soggy.

Heat it in 30-second intervals, checking each time in between until it’s hot enough. It shouldn’t take more than 2-3 minutes in total.

How to Reheat Brenda Gantt Meatloaf in the Oven

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and place leftover meatloaf in an ovenproof dish. If you have beef broth available, adding a tablespoon of broth to the pan will help it recook.

Cover the meatloaf with aluminum foil and cook for 20-25 minutes.

How to Reheat Brenda Gantt Meatloaf in an Air Fryer

Preheat air fryer to 340 degrees F. Line air fryer basket with parchment paper and lightly grease (ideally with cooking spray) both sides of meatloaf slices to help them turn up. let’s cook.

Fry them for 4-5 minutes, and they should be wonderfully hot and a little crisp.

How to Preserve Brenda Gantt Meatloaf

Obviously, if you have anything left over, you’ll need to save that too! Here are the best practices for storing leftover meatloaf, ensuring it retains as much flavor and texture as possible.

Store in the fridge

The three ways to store meatloaf so it lasts as long as possible in the fridge is to wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or if you don’t have either, an airtight container works great too.

Once saved, it will last 3-4 days.

Store in the freezer

It is best to place leftovers in a zip-top freezer bag. Once stored this way, it will last up to 6 months.