When people make it, the top concern is how long to cook a meatloaf at 400 degrees, aside from the question of how to freeze your meatloaf. Honestly, focusing on the cooking’s temperature is the most essential step. If you are not careful with your cooking temperature, your dish will become a disaster.
Luckily, you found the right place! This blog will give you informative ideas for your best meatloaf dishes. So read on!
Quick Facts
Meatloaf is a dish made by combining minced meat with other ingredients and baking or smoking it. The final shape is formed by hand forming on a baking sheet or by pan-cooking in a loaf pan. It is usually made with ground beef, but can also be made with ground pork, veal, venison, poultry, and seafood. A variety is also used, sometimes in combination. Vegetarian adaptations of meatloaf can use imitation meat or legumes.
Cooked meatloaf can be cut individually like bread. It dries easily. Therefore, there are various techniques for keeping the dishes moist. Such as mixing bread crumbs with eggs, topping with sauces, wrapping, or using moisturizing ingredients in the mixture. Stuff with fatty meats, rich cheeses, or vegetables.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Meatloaf At 400?
Meatloaf is a traditional food that can be developed in many various ways. You can twist the recipe by experimenting with the ingredients.
Regardless of how you cook it, there’s always 1 question that always occurs, “How long to cook the meatloaf at 400”. The answer to that will take about 1 hour to cook the meatloaf at 400 degrees. If you want the meatloaf to be flavorful and juicy, this is an excellent way to cook it.
Cooking the meatloaf at high temperatures locks in the juices and makes the meatloaf juicy and delicious. If you are looking for the perfect meatloaf recipe, try cooking it at 400 degrees and you won’t be disappointed.
How Do You Know If The Meatloaf Is Ready?
A thermometer is a tool used to test temperature in many industries such as food and healthcare and is the most accurate technique for checking the doneness of meatloaf. In this case, a thermometer helps determine the meatloaf’s internal temperature. Insert the meat thermometer into the meatloaf’s center and make sure that the internal temperature has reached 160’F.
Homemade Meatloaf Recipe
10 Tips & Ideas For Cooking Meatloaf At 400
1. Preheat your oven to the right temperature. This is important to ensure that the meatloaf cooks evenly throughout.
2. To keep it as moist as possible, these are the important meatloaf ingredients: lean ground beef, breadcrumbs and eggs, and barbecue sauce.
3. Add some fat, although you want to use lean ground beef, you also need to add some fat to the mix. This will help keep the meatloaf moist and flavorful. Add sausage, bacon, or even pork fat to the mix.
4. If you don’t have a thermometer at home, it’s all right. Utilizing a fork for doneness testing is like using the thermometer. From the thickest part of your meatloaf, poke the fork until it gets to the center. If the fork goes easily into the center, your meatloaf could be ready.
5. Here’s another thing about checking the meatloaf. Utilizing a cake tester or toothpick is the common way to check for the doneness of the cakes. And in this scenario, you can also use these tools to check the meatloaves.
6. Frankly, the meatloaf can be cooked at many different temperatures and you will still get desired results. Though, whether you choose to cook your meatloaf at 325℉, 350℉, 375℉, 400℉, or even 500℉, a finish goal for your recipe is for the meatloaf to achieve an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit at least for pork and beef meatloaf and 165 ℉ for turkey and chicken meatloaf.
7. Watch out when using ketchup. Ketchup is a staple ingredient in meatloaf, but it can be overly sweet. If using ketchup, add slowly and taste.
8. When the meatloaf comes out of the oven, let it sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will redistribute the juices and allow you to create a tastier dish.
9. When slicing meatloaf, make sure you cut it thick. This makes each piece juicy and savory.
10. You can serve meatloaf with different side dishes. But serving with mashed potatoes is a great idea. The good thing about meatloaf is that it goes well with mashed potatoes. So serve your meatloaf with mashed potatoes.
Can I Cook Meatloaf In The Air Fryer At 400 Degrees?
Yes, after forming the meatloaf into a pan and placing it on parchment or a small pan or tray in an air fryer, air fry the meatloaf at 400℉ for 14 to 16 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165℉ is achieved. Kindly note that the heating time varies depending on the air fryer.
Is There Any Time Duration To Cook Meatloaf?
Absolutely yes! There are multiple baking times for cooking meatloaf. Depending on the main ingredients, the size of the meatloaf, and the texture of the meatloaf, the cooking time can range from 20 minutes to 40 minutes or more.
How To Store Meatloaf Leftovers?
Cooked meatloaf should be refrigerated in shallow, airtight containers or tightly wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap to optimize shelf life for safety and quality. Properly chilled cooked meatloaf can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
How Long Does It Take To Bake Frozen Meatloaf?
Frozen meatloaf takes 1.5 to 2 times longer than thawed meatloaf, so it can take at least 1 hour and 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at 350°F. Check the internal temperature to make sure it is complete. By the way, the safe internal temperature for meatloaf is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Bottom Line
Nothing can defeat a scrumptious meatloaf for dinner. The greatest thing is that this dish is perfectly simple to make and requires easy to find ingredients. When cooking meatloaf it is important to use the proper cooking temperature to achieve flavorful and juicy meatloaves.