Simple Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe

This Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe is probably not what you think. It doesn’t include Ranch dressing! The name stems from the fact that it’s what you would feed a hungry group of ranch hands.

Name aside. This is one of the better meatloaf recipes that I’ve made in a long time. It’s the beef broth that makes the difference.

It’s just so moist and delicious! I think it made a huge difference that I used good quality ground beef. It’s the beef that makes this a really restaurant quality meatloaf!

If you forego the original topping and use the alternate instead you really have a manly man meatloaf. Especially if you mix a portion of the topping in with the meat mixture!

Simple Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe

This Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe doesn't contain Ranch Dressing! The name comes from the fact that ranch hands will love it!

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef Use good quality
  • 1 cup bread or 1 cup cracker crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ⁄2 cup onion finely chopped
  • 7 1 ⁄2 ounces beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sage
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 ⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Beat the eggs with the beef broth and add in the bread crumbs. Allow the crumbs to soak and then mash with a fork to create an emulsion.
  3. Combine the balance of the ingredients with the ground beef being careful not to over mix. Add in the soaked crumbs and fold in.
  4. Pack into a 9 x 5 loaf pan or make a free form loaf on a sheet pan.
  5. Bake at 325f degrees for 1 1/4 hours.
  6. Remove from the oven, turn out of pan and place on an ovenproof serving dish.

Topping:

  1. Mix the topping ingredients.
  2. Brush over the meat loaf and return to the oven for 30 minutes or longer.

Try a change instead of the above topping mixture. Try this chili sauce based topping that includes hot horseradish. Definitely not for the kiddies but the menfolk will love it!

Alternate Topping

4 tablespoons chili sauce.
3 tablespoons Splenda.
4 tablespoons spreadable soft cream cheese.
1 tablespoon hot horseradish.
1 teaspoon dry mustard.

Combine all and brush on top of the meatloaf instead of the above topping.

On Your Own:

You can use a 9 x 5 loaf pan as a mold. Instead of cooking in the pan just turn the meatloaf out on a foil-covered sheet pan and bake free form. Freeform gives you more surface area for the topping!
Make extra of the alternate topping and mix a portion into the meat mixture.

Good To Know:

The finished meatloaf can be frozen or the meatloaf ingredients can be split into 2 smaller loaf pans, cooked, topped, cooled and frozen.

Defrost and reheat or use sliced cold. You’ll love sandwiches made from slices of this Ranch House Meatloaf Recipe!

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Up Next: Easy Pico De Gallo

Recipe and photo by Derf2440