This Wagyu meatloaf came together in a hurry. I needed dinner, I had ground full-blood Wagyu in the freezer, and I wanted something old-fashioned and Southern — the kind of meal that doesn’t try too hard. A quick search turned up Paula Deen’s old-fashioned Southern meatloaf, and that was it. I doubled the recipe, used our own ground beef, and two loaves went into the oven. Here’s what I’ll say about using full-blood Wagyu in a meatloaf: the flavor is richer. Deeper. It’s not subtle, and it’s not the same as swapping in a nicer 80/20 from the grocery store. Wagyu carries more intramuscular fat, and when you bake it slow in a loaf pan, that fat renders through the whole thing instead of dripping out like it would on a grill. You end up with a meatloaf that tastes like beef — the way meatloaf is supposed to, before we all got used to the watered-down version. A tip I’ve learned cooking for the grandbabies: run the onion and bell pepper through the food processor until they’re very fine. The vegetables disappear into the meat as it bakes, the texture is smoother, and the kids don’t pick anything out. If you’re feeding a picky eater, this one change makes a real difference. We also do a fun variation sometimes — a handful of chopped fresh cilantro stirred into the mix. It sounds odd for an old-fashioned Southern meatloaf, but it works. Earthy, a little bright, and it pairs beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes on the side. For a more traditional plate, roasted asparagus is hard to beat. If you try it, come back and leave a comment — I’d love to hear whether you went traditional or added the cilantro twist.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 min
- Total
- 16 min
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 2 lbs full-blood Wagyu ground beef
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion processed fine for kids
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper processed fine for kids
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 16 oz canned diced tomatoes drained
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional, for the variation
- Topping
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp mustard
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
If cooking for kids or picky eaters, pulse the onion and bell pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. This helps them blend into the meat and disappear as it bakes.
In a large bowl, combine the ground Wagyu, salt, pepper, onion, bell pepper, eggs, drained tomatoes, and oats. Mix well with clean hands until just combined — don't overwork it. If using the cilantro variation, fold it in now.
Divide the mixture between two 9×5 loaf pans and shape each into a loaf.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Spread evenly over the top of each loaf.
Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F at the center.
Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Pairs well with
cooked & told
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