Introduction

If you’ve ever made a meatloaf, you know that timing is everything. You want to cook it long enough that the meat and vegetables are cooked through, but not so long that they dry out. And if you’re making a glazed or sauced version of this comfort food classic, it’s important to ensure your topping doesn’t burn or dry out before the inside is finished cooking! Here are some guidelines for determining how long to bake your meatloaf:

It depends on the size of your meatloaf.

The size of your meatloaf should be measured by weight, not by volume. If you’re making a 3-pound meatloaf, it will be much thicker than one that’s 1 pound or 2 pounds.

It also depends on how long you cook the meatloaf. The longer it cooks, the more heat will penetrate through to all parts of the center of your loaf and cook every part thoroughly–but this can take up to an hour or more!

So what does this mean for you? It means that if your recipe says “30 minutes” (or any other specific time), use your best judgment based on how thickly cut your slices are and how big they are overall.

A meatloaf should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

A meatloaf should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cut into the middle of your loaf to check for doneness.

The bigger the meatloaf, the longer it will take to cook through.

Meatloaf is a loaf of ground meat, usually made with ground beef and sometimes pork. It’s typically served with a sauce or gravy, and can be baked in the oven.

The bigger your meatloaf, the longer it will take to cook through–which means you’ll want to check on it every 15 minutes or so during baking time so that it doesn’t dry out!

If you’re refrigerating it overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

If you’re making a meatloaf and refrigerating it overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. This allows the meat to come to room temperature, which helps prevent an overly dense or dry end product.

If you’re baking your meatloaf in a loaf pan, take it out of its pan first before putting it in the oven so that there’s no chance of burning on any residual grease or fat that may have accumulated inside.

Some people like to glaze their meatloaf with ketchup or barbecue sauce before cooking, while others prefer to wait until after cooking.

Some people like to glaze their meatloaf with ketchup or barbecue sauce before cooking, while others prefer to wait until after cooking.

If you’re going to glaze your meatloaf, do it after it’s been baked and allowed to rest for 10 minutes or so in the pan. This will give the loaf enough time for all of its juices to be reabsorbed into itself so that when you cut into it later on, there won’t be any extra liquid running out onto your plate (gross!).

It is important to check your meatloaf regularly during baking so it doesn’t overcook

It is important to check your meatloaf regularly during baking so it doesn’t overcook. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatloaf and remove from oven when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you understand how long it takes to cook a meatloaf. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].