In this quick guide, we answer the question “how long does to cook meatloaf at 400°F?”. With an in-depth analysis of meatloaf cooking time in the oven. Meatloaf is one of the few foods that best captures the warmth and nostalgia of a home-cooked supper. Meatloaf is the epitome of comfort food because of its simple ingredients and quick preparation.
However, you must cook the meatloaf at the correct temperature for the appropriate period of time to achieve the ideal consistency—not too mushy nor too firm. We also cover how to cook meatloaf in the oven.
How Long To Cook Meatloaf At 400°F?
Depending on the temperature of the oven and the amount of meatloaf, it can cook for anywhere from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. If the meatloaf is cooked at a temperature of 400°F, it should be cooked for 40 to 45 minutes.
What factors determine how long a meatloaf should be cooked in the oven?
How long it takes for the meatloaf to cook depends on a number of factors. Such as B. the size and thickness of the meatloaf, whether it was frozen or not, the storage conditions in which the meatloaf was stored, the age at which it was slaughtered, the length of storage, the humidity, and the Temperature.
The type of oven you cook the meatloaf in and the temperature at which you cook the meatloaf will also affect the total cooking time.
How does the core temperature of the meatloaf determine its cooking time?
The cooking time also depends on the core temperature you want to reach at the end of the cooking time.
For example, at a core temperature of around 74 degrees Celsius. Almost all bacteria in the meatloaf are killed, while at a core temperature of 70 degrees Celsius, the inside of the meatloaf is no longer pink.
If you feel that the meatloaf is getting too dry once it reaches an internal temperature of 75 degrees Celsius, next time you should choose to cook the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. To check the temperature of the meatloaf, you should use a food thermometer.
Can you cook low-temperature meatloaf in the oven?
Yes, definitely meatloaf can also be cooked in the oven at a low temperature. If you decide to use the low-temperature cooking method, you should make sure that the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches around 70-80 degrees Celsius, because then you will know that your meatloaf is well done.
How to cook frozen meatloaf in the oven?
If you have frozen meatloaf, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator before cooking. If you are preparing the frozen meatloaf directly in the skillet or in the oven, chances are the meatloaf will be undercooked inside, charred on the surface, or you will find surface charring when you try to put it on the to cook at the optimum internal temperature.
How do you prepare and cook meatloaf in the oven?
Ingredients: for 5 to 6 servings
- 500 g minced beef/pork
- 150 g carrots
- 150 g Zucchini
- 1 red pointed pepper or sweet pepper
- 1 heaped teaspoon of mild paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika powder
- 1 soaked bun
- 2 Owner
- 2-3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Pfeffer
- 1 well-oiled bread baking pan or
- buttered rectangular casserole dish
- ½ – 1 bunch of parsley for sprinkling
Preparation of the meatloaf:
- For the preparation of this meatloaf for the oven, a slightly old roll from the day before should be soaked in cold water in good time.
- Cut 1 medium onion into small cubes.
- 150 g peeled carrots, cut into small cubes.
- Also, cut 150g courgettes into small cubes, including the green skin.
- Cut 1 cleaned, deseeded red bell pepper into small cubes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan.
- First, fry the diced onions in hot oil until they are slightly translucent.
- Add the diced carrots to the pan and stir-fry, for about 5 minutes.
- Put the diced peppers and the 2nd tablespoon of oil in the pan, fold in and fry for 3 minutes, turning constantly.
- Finally, add the zucchini cubes to the vegetable mixture, fold them in, and let everything simmer slowly for another 3 – 4 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and set the vegetable mixture aside to cool.
Cooking in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the rack in the center of the oven.
- Put the mixed ground beef in a large bowl, squeeze the rollout well with your hand and knead it with the meat.
- Sprinkle with mild paprika powder, cayenne pepper, and marjoram.
- Add the meanwhile cooled vegetable mixture and 2 whole eggs to the meat dough and mix well, kneading in 2 – 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs as needed.
- Season with salt and pepper, place in the supplied, well-greased loaf or casserole dish, smooth the surface and bake at 400 °F in the middle of the oven for approx. 55-60 minutes with top and bottom heat.
- Then let the meatloaf rest for a good 10 minutes with the oven off and the oven door open.
- Then remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for a few minutes.
- Lastly, use a knife to remove the meatloaf from the pan, turn it out onto a preheated platter and serve, sprinkling it with plenty of fresh, finely chopped parsley, if necessary.
How do you know the meatloaf is done?
Insert a skewer, roulade needle, or metal needle into the meatloaf. The hand must no longer be cool when it is pulled out in the middle, then the roast is done.
Thumb test: Press your thumb, protected from heat, onto the fried meatloaf. When the meat juices stop escaping, the roast is done.
Conclusion:
In this quick guide, we’ve answered the question “how long does to cook meatloaf at 400°F?” with an in-depth analysis of cooking time. We also discussed how to cook meatloaf in the oven.