The winter my grandmother shared her secret brown sugar meatloaf recipe changed my cooking forever. I watched in surprise as she pressed brown sugar into the bottom of the pan before adding the meat mixture. “It caramelizes while baking,” she explained with a wink. “Creates a glaze that’ll make everyone think you spent hours in the kitchen.” That simple trick transformed an everyday dish into something truly special. Years later, this family recipe still brings everyone running to the table in just 15 minutes of prep time and about an hour of baking.
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Why This Recipe is the Best Meatloaf You Will Try!
The science behind this exceptional meatloaf lies in its unique layering technique. By placing brown sugar and ketchup at the bottom of the pan, they caramelize during baking to create a glaze that infuses the meat from below. Meanwhile, the moisture from the meat mixture drips down, creating a perfectly balanced sweet and savory sauce. The addition of ground ginger provides a subtle warmth that enhances the brown sugar without making the dish overly sweet. This method also eliminates the need for a separate glaze, simplifying the cooking process while maximizing flavor.
Brown Sugar Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need a few key ingredients, and then you’re good to go! Here’s a quick list:
- Ground beef – Forms the base of the meatloaf with a rich savory flavor
- Brown sugar – Creates a caramelized glaze and adds depth with molasses notes
- Ketchup – Provides tangy tomato flavor that balances the sweetness
- Onion – Adds aromatic flavor and moisture to the meat mixture
- Milk – Helps keep the meatloaf tender and moist while cooking
- Eggs – Act as a binding agent to hold the meatloaf together
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors in the dish
- Ground black pepper – Adds mild heat and depth
- Ground ginger – Contributes warmth and complexity that complements the brown sugar
- Saltine cracker crumbs – Absorb moisture and provide structure to the meatloaf
How to Make Meatloaf with Brown Sugar
- Lightly grease a 5×9-inch loaf pan.
- Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the pan and spread ketchup over the sugar.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf and place it on top of the ketchup in the pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until the internal temperature is 155°F. Use a instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Be sure to heat up some biscuits or add in a dessert that needs to go into the oven at the same time. This way you get to make another dish without having to heat the oven up again.
Sweet and Savory Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 5×9-inch loaf pan.
- Press the brown sugar into the bottom of the loaf pan.
- Spread the ketchup over the sugar.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly, and shape the mixture into a loaf.
- Place the loaf on top of the ketchup.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature is 155°F.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Serve Meatloaf
Once the meatloaf is done, let it rest for a few minutes.
Then pull it out of the baking dish, slice it, and serve with your favorite side dishes.
What side dishes go well with meatloaf?
Meatloaf is a very versatile entree! I love to pair this with buttermilk biscuits and baby carrots! You can also serve it with homemade mashed potatoes and steamed green beans!
How to Store Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Once the meatloaf has cooled down, store it in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
How to Freeze Meatloaf
If you want to freeze meatloaf, make sure to let it cool down first. Wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a plastic freezer bag. Meatloaf will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Meatloaf
When you are ready to eat the leftovers, just pop a piece of meatloaf in the microwave for about 45 to 90 seconds depending on the size of the piece and you are good to go!
More Meatloaf Recipes
Favorite Ground Beef Recipes
- Butter Burger
- Cabbage Rolls with Ground Beef
- Ground Beef Casserole
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Hamburger Cheese Dip
- Hambuer Helper Lasagna
- Hamburger Helper Stroganoff
- Hamburger Seasoning
- Stuffed Meatloaf
Check out more of my easy comfort food recipes and the best ground beef recipes here on CopyKat!
I have to send out a stern warning about this meatloaf and your diets.We made this this evening
for supper and felt we had to advise everyone that this is a very addictive meatloaf and is so
delicious we had a very difficult time not eating seconds. We never do that ever. It turned out
so good we are going to keep it a secret from everyone we serve it to. Please keep the secret
amongst ourselves. Keep the good recipes coming.
I will say that Ketchup has always graced meatloaf through my life thus far. My grandmother, mother, mother in law, aunts, wife and other friends always use it. This recipe looks excellent but one thing is
a mystery. From what restaurant has this recipe been copied. I thought that Copykat.com did only
this and not recipes from the public.
i want to try it but being on the 34th page its going to be difficult because there is no where to add it to my recipe box, and that kinda upsets me.
So how I can help you with this?
Type it out yourself and then add it to the box. We do that all the time and add it to one of our three-ring binders.
tried this recipe it’s pretty good i do everything the same except on the top of my meatloaf i put some sweet & spicy bbq sauce for an extra kick. if you love flavor pour a little bit of bbq sauce into the mixing bowl.