Meatloaf is an excellent choice for a family dinner, holiday dinner, or summer picnic. It’s an easy meal to prepare and will feed your entire family at once. When cooking meatloaf, it’s essential to know how long it takes. This is because, at different temperatures, the cooking time will vary. If you’re wondering how long to cook meatloaf at 375 degrees, this article provides all the information you’ll need to know about cooking meatloaf in general.
How Long to Cook Meatloaf at 375?
The total cooking time for meatloaf at 375o Fahrenheit is about one hour and 15 minutes. Meatloaf cooks best at 375 degrees, so use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is set properly. However, while this is the average cook time, several other factors tend to determine how long your meatloaf will cook.
Factors Determining the Cook Time of Meatloaf
In this case, you can bake your meatloaf for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. But keep in mind that this time can change depending on a few factors.
Size of meatloaf
The size of your meatloaf will have an effect on how quickly it cooks. Larger ones will take more time to cook than smaller ones. This is because it takes a longer time to evenly heat the piece on all sides to allow for even cooking.
And in most cases, larger-sized meatloaf tends to dry out more quickly because there’s less moisture inside. The size of your meatloaf will depend on how many people you want to feed, the size of your loaf pan, and how much time you have available to cook it.
Use a huge pan to make a large batch for a crowd. If you are making just enough for yourself or two other people, use an 8-inch baking dish. You can even use individual ramekins if you don’t still need an actual loaf pan on hand.
The temperature of the oven
The temperature of your oven is a crucial factor in how long to cook meatloaf. The optimal temperature for baking meatloaf is 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures take longer, and higher temperatures can burn the crust or even the whole thing before it’s cooked through.
If you are using an oven, it’s best to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, then place a rack in the middle of it before putting your meatloaf. This ensures that air can circulate all sides of your meatloaf when cooking, so it cooks evenly.
Most people prefer their meatloaves cooked until they reach an internal temperature between 160°F and 175°F. If your oven tends to run hot, try using lower temperatures, like 350°F instead of 375, so that food doesn’t burn before it’s done cooking correctly inside.
Type of meat used
The meat used to make up your meatloaf is another big factor in cooking time. Since a wide range of meat can be used in meatloaf, it’s essential to read the instructions on the packaging. Most brands always include an average cooking time for each different meatloaf meat.
For instance, ground beef takes longer than turkey or pork for its fat content to render correctly into liquid form so that it can absorb flavor from other ingredients like ketchup and mustard when heated together during baking.
What Should the Internal Temperature Be for Meatloaf?
The USDA recommends cooking ground beef at 160o F and whole cuts of pork, veal, and lamb at 145o F. To check the temperature of your meatloaf, insert a thermometer into the center of it. Fifteen minutes before your recipe says it will be done, or at least close enough that you can tell for yourself, pull out your loaf and take its temperature. Alternatively, you could cut off a small piece from one end and make sure it’s cooked all the way through before serving it up.
How Do You Keep Meatloaf Moist?
There are a few ways to keep your meatloaf from drying out. The secret to moist meatloaf is using moist ingredients while you want the breadcrumbs to bind; eggs, milk, and ketchup all work together to create an even more flavorful and now extra-moist dish.
One of the most popular methods is to add a binder like breadcrumbs or oats to the mixture. You can also add water or oil to help moisten the texture of your loaf as it cooks. If you’re using a pan that won’t allow covering with foil, consider spraying it with non-stick spray before cooking so that moisture releases more easily during baking and doesn’t run down into your oven.
Can You Freeze Meatloaf?
Yes, you can make your meatloaf and either freeze it before it’s baked or after it for future meals. Many people like to cook their meatloaf in advance and freeze it, so they have meals ready when they need them.
This also gives you time to make other dishes that require longer cooking times than usual, like roasts or stews. Frozen meatloaf can be cooked in the oven at 375 degrees F. If thawing frozen meatloaf, allow enough time.
Is It Better To Cook Meatloaf Covered Or Uncovered?
If you want your meatloaf to be extra moist and tender, then you should cook it covered. This will help to prevent the outside from drying out while the inside cooks through. On the other hand, if you prefer a meatloaf with a crisp exterior, cooking it uncovered is the way to go. This will allow the outside of the meatloaf to brown and get nice and crisp.
In general, cooking the dish with a lid on will keep moisture levels consistent throughout. On the other hand, leaving the top uncovered allows heat transfer between the innermost layer and the exterior surface, which results in crisping up the skin. So, it depends on personal preferences.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a tasty dinner, meatloaf is the perfect meal. It’s easy to make and can be prepared in advance, so it’s ready when you need it. Meatloaf cooks quickly at 375o Fahrenheit and will be done in a little more than an hour. It also tastes great when reheated, and you can always make extra ahead.
Hi, I’m Iolanda I am a mother of two and know how to whip up satisfying dishes for friends and family in a seemingly effortless way. The blog goal is reader-oriented, So We are always looking for the newest information about the best products on the market to offer product reviews and tutorials to assist users.Have Fun on The Website
