Boston Market, formerly known as Boston Chicken, is a fast casual chain that specializes in roasted chicken (duh!). But after a Chapter 11 filing, a purchase from McDonald’s Corp., and a final sale to Sun Capital Partners, Boston Market decided to expand it’s menu (and customer base). The chain added turkey, ham and, of course, their extraordinarily popular meatloaf. The meatloaf is so popular, Boston Market could really have changed their name to Boston Meatloaf.
Americans love them some meatloaf! Particularly in the Midwest. Growing up in Chicago, I can attest to that!
The dish became popular during the Great Depression to help home cooks feed more with less meat. But it has retained it’s popularity because it is a comfort food for many people. It is a dish that is often associated with childhood and family meals. The smell of meatloaf baking in the oven can be a reminder of happy times spent with loved ones.
It is also versatile. Every family has their own version of meatloaf and the recipe typically stays the same down the generations. It can be made with breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, glaze or no glaze and it goes with everything from mashed potatoes to mac and cheese.
And it is simple to make. It does not require any special skills or equipment and even the most novice home cook can whip up a pretty decent one. They’re not easy to screw up.
But my favorite thing about meatloaf? The SANDWICHES! Oooh, I love a meatloaf sandwich. Soft, white bread, Duke’s mayo and a slab of meatloaf. Side of Salt & Vinegar chips and a dill pill spear and I am one happy girl.
You’re going to love this meatloaf recipe. The hickory ketchup glaze is tangy, slightly sweet and BBQ-ey. And, it makes a righteous sandwich!
Enjoy this meatloaf with Cracker Barrel’s Hashbrown Casserole or Panera’s Mac & Cheese and ENJOY!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. of 80/20 ground beef
- ¼ cup sweet onion, chopped Market meatloaf
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup Kraft Hickory BBQ sauce
- 2 TBL tomato puree
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder, divided
- 3/4 tsp. garlic powder, divided
- 4-5 cranks cracked black pepper
Instructions
On a parchment lined sheet, toast the breadcrumbs at 350 degrees F until fragrant and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and cool.
In a small sauté pan, combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato puree, and ¼ tsp. each of the onion powder/garlic powder. Stirring frequently, simmer on a medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate until completely cool. The sauce must be cool before adding to meat mixture to avoid prematurely raising the temperature of the ground beef, creating possible contamination.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onions, toasted breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, black pepper, remaining garlic/onion powders and all but ½ cup of the cooled hickory ketchup. Mix with your hands until the mixture is well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan. Pour the remaining ½ cup of hickory ketchup over the top and bake for 50 minutes or until an internal meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes. The meatloaf will absorb the juices while resting and will easily come out of the loaf pan. Enjoy!
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