Brown Sugar Meatloaf – Covered with a sweet brown sugar glaze this meatloaf full of flavor, it’s the best meatloaf you will ever have. Grab a fork & dig in.
I grew up eating meatloaf at least once a week, okay maybe it wasn’t that often but my mom loved to make meatloaf. As I got older I started to crave her recipe after having so many dry, bland and not so good meatloaf. This Brown Sugar Meatloaf recipe from my mom can’t be beat. I’m serious put it to the test.
I’ve had this meatloaf my entire life. I honestly thought this is how meatloaves were made. But as I grew up and started to eat dinner at friends homes, I quickly found out that all meatloaf is NOT created equal. My mom’s recipe is far superior and the key reason is the brown sugar glaze. {Drooling now.}
Another factor that makes my mom’s recipe better than everyone else’s is the fact that she uses bread, not bread crumbs. She breaks up soft, chewy bread into cubes and this makes it moist and not dry at all. My dad loves onion, so naturally, this is loaded up with onion but that is something you can adjust to your liking.
I love onion too – so I leave it as it and I cut the onion into larger chunks so that it makes it easier for my kids to pick out. Some have an aversion, thinking that it might make them grow greens on top of their head {LOL}.
The first time I made this Brown Sugar Meatloaf, my hubby was not looking forward to dinner because he hated meatloaf. HATED it. But as soon as he took a bite of my mom’s recipe – he had a change of stomach and heart. My kids love this meatloaf too!
Always fighting on who gets the end pieces because they have the most amount of glaze. My hubby and I usually win this and I tell them as soon as they make the meatloaf then they can have the end pieces. But I have been known on occasion to share.
I first posted this recipe back in October 2013 and I giggle at the picture {image below} . This was when I first started my blog so it brings back some great memories. And also, I remember that day just like it was yesterday because I was so stressed out.
I made a complete dinner just to style the meatloaf, and the picture isn’t even all that good. LOL. But I have learned a lot since then, and I don’t stress about the side dishes in the photos anymore, which has made my life so much easier. I will say, though, that it is fun to look back.
Make this a complete meal with the following:
- Dinner Sweet Rolls
- Fresh Green Beans with Bacon & Sliced Almonds
- 3-Ingredient Roasted Potatoes with Crunchy Onions Recipe
- Quick Easy Green Salad Recipe
Enjoy this best ever Brown Sugar Meatloaf – my family has been making this meatloaf for 3 generations and you will know why after your first bite.
Recipe note: NOTE: I like to drain the pan ½ way thru the baking time. We also like to double the sauce!!!
Don’t forget to pin Brown Sugar Meatloaf this to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 3-4 bread slices, cut into 1 inch cubes I use white sandwich
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 9×13 pan.
- Mix together the brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf.
- Pour sauce over loaf. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until it's cooked through and the juices run clear.
Original post image, Oct 2013, this post was recently updated.
This is going to be my new go-to meatloaf! I made it the other night (I was craving beef… is that weird?) and assumed the kids wouldn’t even try it, but it was a HUGE hit. Everyone ate it up and said it was great. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
He didn’t like meatloaf?? Okay well in his defense there are actually some really bad meatloaves out there. But THIS one is clearly amazing. Brown suga!!
I don`t understand how the total cooking time for this recipe is 1h. I just made a similar dish and I spent 3-4 hours to prepare it.
Cause you’re a fool Lauren.
How many l s of meat, I’m sure it’s there I just don’t see it and yes I’m wearing my glasses, I’ll look agAi
Hi Susan! It calls for 1 1/2 (one and one-half) pounds of ground beef.
Do you leave the crust on the bread?
I do 🙂 Those are my favorites pieces.
I don’t have any milk for this recipe. Can I substitute?
Do you have evaporated milk in the pantry? You can use that.
I have a number of meatloaf recipes. This by far our favorite
This is similar to my recipe, but I don’t put the glaze on it until most of the fat has been cooked out and drained from the loaf pan. I don’t want to waste any of the glaze while draining off the fat.
I made this recipe and I was pleasantly surprised how well it turned out. I have been trying to find the right meatloaf recipe and I think my search is over. My family loved it. It is really good the next day. I misread the recipe and used 3/4 cup of bread crumbs, instead of 3-4 cubes of bread and it still turned out fine.
Do you bake this covered or uncovered? It doesn’t specify.
This is baked uncovered, but if you feel like yours is getting too browned or dark, you can always tent it with foil to stop it from getting darker of course.
I made this a couple of weeks ago, and I had to come back to get the recipe. I’ve now bookmarked and printed it. I’ll never lose it again! It’s delicious.
Meatloaf is such a comfort food. That glaze sounds amazing!
Wow so much flavor I can SEEEE it!! Can’t wait to give this a try!
YUM!!! I love this meatloaf delicious version!!!
Now I know what I will make for dinner tonight! Love the texture!
This is now our favorite meatloaf recipe! Everyone loved it!
So happy to hear that!
Meat loaf looks so good and mouthwatering
Making this recipe tonight. Can’t wait to taste it!
Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Made this tonight, and it was a hit! My boyfriend LOVES my meatloaf, but I can never make it the same twice. Tried this one with only the bread substituted for Ritz Crackers. Still, it’s our favorite meatloaf by far!! Thank you!!!!
Such wonderfully sweet flavor. Great way to shake things up!
This is SO good! Can do this ever weekend!
Looks totally irresistible! My family would love this!
Made it 2 times now and we really enjoy the flavour. It is easy for me to make too which I love and if I have less ground beef, I use only 1 egg. Love it. Thanks for your family recipe.
So happy you enjoy it as well. Have a great rest of the summer.
Excellent post
Great recipe! I use 1/2 lb lean ground beef and 1/2 lb ground pork. Also 1/2 cup of oatmeal, then egg, milk etc. The glaze is my favorite!
Aww, thank you!
Do you all grease with veggie spray? Have any of you added brown sugar IN the meatloaf?
No brown sugar in the meatloaf, just the glaze.
Have any of you added brown sugar IN the meatloaf? And PLEASE confirm 9×13 pan? not the loaf pan?
Thanks!
9×13 is correct, I have never made mine in a loaf pan, because I like all the sides caramelized with the glaze. And no brown sugar IN the meatloaf.
I wish there was some way to share this recipe other than Pinterest, x, whatever that means, and Facebook. I don’t do any of those things.
Where are you looking to share it?
Making this as we speak! I can’t wait !
This was the tastiest meatloaf I’ve ever had and the first one I personally ever made. My entire family loved it and my picky 8 year old ate every bite (unprompted). Will become a house staple. Thank you so much!!! I used white onion, light brown sugar, white ground pepper and pink Himalayan salt.
I am so glad you all love this too. Family recipes are the best.
Can I substitute the bread for bread crumbs and if so how much
I’ve made this before and the bread pieces ended up clumping and it didn’t turn out right I did something wrong
Oh, shoot, did you mix it with your hands or a spoon, the chunks of bread should be distributed evenly through the meatloaf. Sorry that didn’t work for you, I haven’t tested this with breadcrumbs but maybe I will give that a go next week and let you know.