Meatloaf takes longer now! Maybe everyone but me knows this, but

[marybourg]

I haven't made a meatloaf in many, many years. Back when my kids were little, I just followed the recipe, drained off some liquid, took it out in an hour, if it looked ok, it was ok. Today I baked a meatloaf and, as we do in recent years, used a meat thermometer to test the center of the meatloaf. I was shocked and chagrined to find that the meatloaf the recipe (and my recollection) said was ready in an hour, actually took 2 hours to reach 160 degrees (in Corningware loaf pan in 350 oven)!

[wildflower]

1. Wow, 2 hours?

Was it a smoking biscuit? :)

Kidding aside, that's a good idea, I should try that test too.

Another thought is maybe your oven runs low? I know mine runs high so I have to take that account when I'm reading recipes.

[marybourg]

4. I keep an oven thermometer inside and it was about right, varying about 8 degrees. nt.

[hippywife]

2. I'm making meatloaf as we speak.

I've never tested the temp but I tend to make it in multiple small loaves so they will cook in an hour and be completely done in side.

:hi:

[marybourg]

5. That's a good idea. I also saw a recipe which calls for packing

the meat mixture into the loaf pan, then upending it into a small roasting pan, so the sides are unenclosed. Yeh, I know, 2 pans, 1 pretty big.

[eleny]

9. I use a large recrangular glass baking pan

I plop the meat mixture into the center of the pan and shape it by hand. The meatloaf keeps its shape even though I make it a little tall and the sides aren't hemmed in by the pan.

[grasswire]

3. I usually time it to the baked potatoes, and that's an hour

400 degrees for an hour, for about 1.5 pounds of meat and the additional weight of the other ingredients -- oatmeal, onions, eggs etc.

[Phentex]

6. Strange...I was thinking the opposite of mine...

takes only 45 mins at 375. The recipe calls for an hour but it was always overdone.

I can't imagine 2 hours! Have you checked the oven temp?

[marybourg]

7. Yes. see my reply to Wildflower. Are you using a quick read thermometer?

[Phentex]

8. No, a probe...

maybe I make a smaller loaf? I use a glass loaf pan and it's easy to tell when the meat is done so I don't always use a thermometer.

Meatloaf is a kid favorite here so it gets made a little too often. :)

[elleng]

10. My James Beard recipe takes less than 2 hours. Been a while!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1926,158171-227202,00.html

[Phentex]

11. Bacon on the top and bottom? What's not to love?

AND brushed with butter?

:9

[elleng]

12. I didn't do butter!

[marybourg]

13. My *recipe* takes only one hour. It's actually getting

the meatloaf up to 160 degrees in the center that takes 2 hours!