Meatloaf is a delicacy which is quite popular in Germany. It is ideal for a perfect family dinner when all your children members are home or during an occasion such as a play date or your child’s birthday party. The meal is basically composed of ground meat which you modify to take the shape of a loaf of bread.
If you are actually wondering how long to cook meatloaf at 375 Fahrenheit, the simple answer is approximately 30 minutes on the higher end and at least 25 minutes.
When baking at a temperature of 375 Fahrenheit, you should be extremely cautious to avoid burning your meatloaf. This means that you have to put in some extra effort by constantly checking on your meatloaf.
Putting it that way, you might think that you need no skills to do it. But trust me; you need not only the skills but the recipe as well. Read on and get to know how long to cook meatloaf at 375 fahrenheit in the oven.
How Long To Cook Meatloaf?
After getting the ingredients and preparing the meal, a little fault can cause your meatloaf to get burnt or leave some parts of it totally uncooked. To avoid such incidents, pay close attention to these factors as you bake:
- Ingredients
- Temperature
- Preferences for taste
- Shape and Size(1lb – 5lb meatloaf)
Personally, I prefer meatloaf that is soft and juicy. So I cook it for a short time between 40 -45 minutes and at a lower temperature to retain the juice and still have it soft. The temperature range should be between 325 to 350 fahrenheit. This one is perfect for children too.
If you like your meatloaf a little crunchy, you will have to cook it for a much longer time and also set the oven temperature a little higher so that the meat juice can all be drained. The temperature should be between 375 to 400 fahrenheit.
However, do note that the timing taken can be different if you are cooking a bigger piece of meatloaf. The time taken to cook a 1 lb meatloaf and 5 lb meatloaf will be totally different and another big factor is the temperature used to cook it.
Meatloaf Cook Time Table
For your convenience, we have compiled a table belowthat you can refer to when cooking different sizes of meatloaf.
Do note that whether you are cooking at 325 or 400 Fahrenheit, the entire goal is for your meatloaf is to reach an internal temperature of at least 160 Fahrenheit for beef and pork meatloaf and 165 Fahrenheit for chicken and turkey meatloaf.
Quick Tip
Always monitor your meatloaf internal temperature with a meat thermometer until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees
What Temperature To Cook Meatloaf?
Noticed that for the table above, we have omitted cooking meatloaf at more than 400 Fahrenheit.
According to food authority Alton Brown, the ideal oven temperature of a moist meatloaf is actually 325 Fahrenheit.
Even though you can cook the meatloaf faster at a higher temperature, it will only dry out the meat. If possible, try to cook your meatloaf between the temperature of 325 to 400 Fahrenheit regardless of size.
How Long To Cook Turkey Meatloaf At 375?
Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds of ground turkey
- Yellow onion which has been chopped – about two-thirds of a cup
- Green or red yellow bell pepper, enough to taste
- Half a cup of ketchup
- Enough salt to taste
- A tablespoon of creole seasoning
- Hot sauce, enough to taste
- Ground pepper which has been freshly ground, enough to taste
- A tablespoon of minced garlic
- Chopped celery, about half a cup
- Half a cup of dried bread crumbs which are yet to be seasoned
Step by Step Procedure:
Step 1: Start by pre-heating the oven to a temperature of 375 fahrenheit. Place the rack right in the middle of the oven.
Step 2: Place your ground turkey in a large bowl which is deep enough. Add into the bowl the red and green bell, a tablespoon of ketchup, garlic, salt, pepper, celery, egg, the chopped onions, and breadcrumbs. Mix up all these ingredients gently until they are well combined.
Step 3: Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan which is suitable to bake a one-pound loaf of bread. Form a doomed loaf shape from the turkey mixture.
To utilize the remaining ketchup, stir it in hot sauce in a bowl and spoon it all over the meatloaf. Use the back of your spoon to spread it evenly.
Step 4: Bake the meatloaf as you pay attention to prevent it from getting burnt. Let it bake until its top gets browned.
Step 5: At this point, you can be sure that your meatloaf is ready after the 45 minutes are over. Remove the baking pan you are using to cook from the oven and let the meatloaf cool for about 5 minutes.
You can now serve the turkey meatloaf delicacy.
[Related Article: 5 Best Meat Slicers And Buying Guide]Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed reading the article and also learned how long to cook meatloaf at 375 degrees. The article will certainly ease your task of baking your meatloaf, and you will no longer dread arranging play dates for your child and his/her friends because you have a dish to prepare for them then.
You just have to be prepared to host more of those play dates which means that you will have to bake your meatloaf very many times. I am saying this from experience. Within 45 minutes, after starting the baking process, your meatloaf will be ready for consumption.
It is quite easy to prepare and cook a great meal for the family. With some caution, you will get the best meatloaf. Always keep in mind the factors that will affect the time your meatloaf will take to get ready as well as the right oven temperature.