Betty's Meatloaf

Betty’s Meatloaf (serves 6-8, but realistically it should be doubled to serve 10)

Ingredients:

1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dried thyme
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. packed light brown sugar
4 tsp cider vinegar
2 large eggs
½ cup milk, plus extra as needed
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp Tabasco
2 pounds ground meat (I used a mix of ground beef and ground lamb but you can also use ground pork)
1 sleeve of crushed saltines or 1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup minced parsley

1. Adjust an oven rank to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile , mix together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and Tabasco together.

3. Mix the meatloaf mix, crackers, parsley, sautéed onion mixture and egg mixture until evenly blended and the mixture doesn’t stick to the bowl (if the mixture sticks , add additional breadcrumbs a T at a time until it no longer sticks).

4. Turn the meat mixture onto a foil-lined baking sheet and shape into a 9 x 5 inch loaf. Brush with half of the ketchup mixture. Bake the loaf for 45 minutes.

5. Brush the loaf with the remaining ketchup mixture and continue to bake until the center of the loaf measures 160 degrees n an instant read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.