Classic Old Fashioned Meatloaf {Cooked In A Cast Iron Skillet}

This Classic Old Fashioned Meatloaf Recipe is my Mother-in-law's recipe.  She taught me early on to cook my meatloaf in a cast iron skillet and it has never changed. 

She would form her meatloaf in a bun and cook it with enough water to come up half way in the skillet.  All those delicious juices make for a wonderful gravy.   She believed that a good meatloaf recipe is one that has a good ratio of fat in the hamburger.  I use 85/15 and sometimes 80/20 which makes for a real moist and tender meatloaf.  The leaner the meat the dryer your meatloaf will be.

She always topped her meatloaf with ketchup, but we have varied on this over the years.  One thing I continued with--she believed in making plenty of this comfort food.

When all my children were home, I would make two of these at a time just to have leftovers.  There is nothing better than a good leftover meatloaf sandwich!

Old Fashioned Meatloaf

2 lbs. hamburger
1 cup saltine cracker crumbs (oatmeal or bread crumbs)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper chopped (my addition)
2 eggs
3/4-1 cup evaporated milk (whole milk or half and half)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander (my addition)
2 cups of water
1 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 10-inch cast iron skillet with a non stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the above ingredients, except for the water and ketchup, and mix together until well blended. 

Be careful not to handle the meat mixture to much.  Shape into a round bun and place in the cast iron skillet.  Pour water half way up in the skillet. 

Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until meatloaf is done.   Spoon ketchup over the meatloaf and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.