Meatloaf. You either love it or loath it, and that usually depends on where you first tried it. All too often, this humble classic falls a little flat. This is why we put together something a little different. Whatever side of the meatloaf fence you’re on, this is a whole different playing field.
This meatloaf recipe uses the same idea as almost any other you’re familiar with, but adds whole new dimensions of taste and texture. Say goodbye to that dry block of meat, dotted with soggy bread bits and slathered with ketchup.
With a little bit of sweet caramelized onions, the rich taste of blue cheese and a steak sauce infused glaze, you’ll never go back to your old loaf!
For a more detailed step-by-step procedure, scroll past the recipe card.
Meatloaf with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 1 lb Regular Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Stilton (or other blue cheese) crumbled
- 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs, toasted
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Thyme Leaves, fresh or dried
- 1 Egg
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 tsp Butter
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Glaze
- 1/4 cup Ketchup
- 1/4 cup HP Sauce
- 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook the onions in the butter over medium-low heat in a pan. Stir often until onions are caramelized. In another pan, also on medium-low, toast the breadcrumbs until lightly browned.
- Mix ketchup, HP, vinegar and sugar, and set aside.
- Mix all other ingredients, including caramelized onions and breadcrumbs. Make sure everything is incorporated throughout, but be careful not to over-mix.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and place the meat mixture inside, patting it well to ensure there are no air pockets.
- Place in oven, uncovered for 30 minutes. Pour the glaze over the loaf, and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow juices to settle.
Notes
Always cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 359mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g
We are not certified nutritionists and make no claims to be so. The nutritional information given here is intended for informational purposes only. These nutritional calculations are rounded numbers dependant on the certain ingredients and amounts in the recipe and are by no means perfect.
Blue Cheese? In Meat Loaf?
Much like meatloaf itself, blue cheese is another one of those love/hate foods. And once again, this is often caused by a bad first experience. Most people try it for the first time at a mid-range “casual” restaurant on a burger or pizza. Most often, for cost reasons, these restaurants use the cheapest blue cheese they can get their hands on. And it’s usually awful stuff.
If you’re in that group that has either never tasted or has only tasted bad blue cheese, this is a great recipe for you. Already a fan? Even better!
The thing is, blue cheese and beef are perfect together. You just need to do it right. In this meatloaf recipe, the cheese is spread throughout the loaf. Instead of an overpowering clump right on top, the melted cheese subtly infuses the entire loaf; lending that smooth, nutty taste mildly in every bite.
What Goes In Blue Cheese Meatloaf
Making this meatloaf doesn’t take a lot of effort. Aside from a few additional ingredients, it’s much the same as any other.
To make meatloaf with blue cheese and caramelized onions, you will need:
- Ground Beef: Lean or regular works best here. Because you’re caramelizing the onions ahead of time, they will lose quite a bit of moisture. Using extra-lean beef will yield a dry loaf.
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Blue Cheese: Go with whatever you prefer, or can afford. Danish, Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola and almost anything in between will work here.
- Eggs
- Bread Crumbs
- Butter
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Thyme: Dried or fresh
- Ketchup
- HP: You could use A1 or any other ‘brown’ steak sauce. Though I find it hard to beat HP
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Salt and Pepper
Note: If you’re allergic to penicillin you should avoid eating blue cheese. As well, eating unpasteurized foods while pregnant is not recommended.
How to Make Meatloaf with Blue Cheese
- The first thing you need to do is start caramelizing the onions. Dice the onions fairly small, and in a small bit of butter, cook slowly over medium-low heat. Stir regularly until they are brown and sticky, but not burnt.
- Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan over medium-low heat, tossing regularly so they don’t burn. You can skip this step, but it adds an extra layer of flavour.
- Mix together ketchup, HP, vinegar and sugar, and set aside.
- Mix the meat, egg, onions, breadcrumbs, thyme, garlic and blue cheese in a bowl. Carefully combine all of the ingredients without over mixing. Season with salt and pepper. Take a small piece of the mixture and cook it in a pan to check seasoning.
- Place the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Pour the glaze over the loaf and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the loaf has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow juices to settle.
