A meatloaf that slices perfectly, stays juicy, and transforms into incredible sandwiches the next day. The secret is a proper panade (bread + milk + egg), cooked aromatics, and shaping into a tight cylinder before baking. Think Italian meatball flavors in meatloaf form.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Meatloaf

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½–1 lb ground pork
  • 3 slices crustless white bread
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 small onion, fine dice
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2–3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup tomato sauce (plus more for glazing)
  • Handful of fresh basil, chopped
  • Pinch dried oregano
  • Salt
  • Fresh black pepper

Glaze

  • Extra tomato sauce
  • Butter
  • Honey

Instructions

  1. Make the panade: Mash bread, milk, and egg into a paste. Let it fully hydrate for 5–10 minutes.

  2. Cook aromatics: Sweat onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt until soft and slightly sweet. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly.

  3. Build the base: Into the panade, mix the cooled onion and garlic, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Make it uniform.

  4. Combine meat: Fold in beef and pork gently. Don’t knead like dough—mix until just combined. Let sit 10–15 minutes so the bread absorbs and proteins relax.

  5. Shape the loaf: Lay out two long sheets of plastic wrap. Form the meat into a log and roll it tight, like a giant sausage. Twist the ends to compress. Wrap the whole thing in foil.

  6. Bake: Place on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F until the center hits 155°F. Rest it—carryover will finish the job.

  7. Make the glaze: Warm extra tomato sauce with butter and a touch of honey.

  8. Glaze and finish: Unwrap the loaf. Place on a rack over a sheet pan. Brush generously with glaze. Return to oven until sticky, shiny, and browned.

  9. Serve: Slice thick. More sauce if you want.

Notes

Why a panade matters: Breadcrumbs are dry and pull moisture out of meat as it cooks. A panade is already hydrated—it becomes a paste that traps juices and emulsifies with the fat. The difference between compacted ground meat and something plush and sliceable.

Why cook the onions: Raw onion = sharp, watery, inconsistent. Cooked onion = sweet, integrated, professional.

Next-day upgrade: Chill the whole loaf. Slice cold (it’ll be perfect). Sear in butter until crusty, then cover to steam through. Hero sandwich. Slider party. Lunch solved.

Restaurant-style serving: Stand a slice upright, add sauce, melt mozzarella or provolone over the top.

Recipe from Andrew Gruel