Home RecipesBeef Grandpa Mark’s Meatloaf

Grandpa Mark’s Meatloaf

by Jamie
My father-in-law (Grandpa Mark) was a really great guy. He was all about family and spent the better part of his life raising 8 children.
August 13, 1994 my wedding day and the day I got hitched to this great Eskelson family.
That’s a lot of kids no matter how you look at it! 
 
 He wasn’t really a fashionable sort of fellow….
More like a 
get in there and work….
 
and build things like this….
 
and that.
 
He was the kind of guy that liked to ride around in a back hoe….digging and moving things around, and making life more pleasant than he found it.
 
He suffered from Congestive Heart Failure for more than twenty years, which included all of the time I knew him. Towards the end of his life he spent a lot of time at the computer, researching and writing and learning about new things. You could call him pretty much any time of day and know that he would 
…be at his computer….
…and at your service….
Always willing to answer any question, or help solve any problem.
This good man found a lot of great recipes while he sat at his computer. This wonderful Meatloaf is one of them. 
It is hands down the best meatloaf I’ve ever had.
Hope your family loves it as much as we all do. 
 
The view from Grandpa Mark’s Bear Lake Cabin. 
Photo by Grandpa Mark himself.
Sure wish he were around to give me some 
photography tips
and parenting advice
and to help me figure out the technical side of blogging
(he would have been all over that kind of a project)
and to visit with
and to see my kids grow up
and to visit with
and to visit with
and to visit with…..
He knew a lot of good stuff.
 
1. Place all loaf ingredients in a large bowl. Get your hands in there and mix it all up together. You want all of the ingredients to be incorporated well.  (Don’t be shy now….touching ground beef will not kill you. If you lick your fingers after you have been smashing it all together…you most likely will kill over dead immediately, or so I’ve heard. Please refrain from licking raw hamburger off your fingers. Your immediate death is something I don’t want on my conscience. However if you decide to lick raw hamburger and you do indeed kill over…give Grandpa Mark a kiss for me when you see him.)
2. Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom. 
3. Form your meat mixture into two loaves. Place them on top of the brown sugar leaving a little alley way between them. (Wash your hands…do not lick them.)
 
4. Pour your ketchup between the loaves….. 
 
 and around the sides of the loaves.
5. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or until the inside of the loaf is no longer pink. 
6. Remove the pan from the oven, take off the foil and spoon the sauce over the tops of the loaves. Return to the oven and bake for about 3-5 more minutes.
7. Take the pan out of the oven and let the loaves rest for about 5 minutes. Then slice and serve. 

Enjoy!

Grandpa Mark's Meatloaf

Serves: 12 servings (you could half the recipe) Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat
Rating: 4.5/5
( 2 voted )

Ingredients

  • The Loaf:
  • 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 sleeves saltine crackers, crushed into tiny pieces
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 T honey mustard
  • 1/2 C ketchup
  • 1 t Worcestershire
  •  The Sauce:
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 C ketchup

Instructions

1. Place all loaf ingredients in a large bowl. Get your hands in there and mix it all up together. You want all of the ingredients to be incorporated well.  
2. Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom. 
3. Form your meat mixture into two loaves. Place them on top of the brown sugar leaving a little alley way between them. (Wash your hands...do not lick them.)
4. Pour your ketchup between the loaves and around the sides of the loaves.
5. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or until the inside of the loaf is no longer pink. 
6. Remove the pan from the oven, take off the foil and spoon the sauce over the tops of the loaves. Return to the oven and bake for about 3-5 more minutes.
7. Take the pan out of the oven and let the loaves rest for about 5 minutes. Then slice and serve. 

Enjoy!


Recipe from my father in law, Mark Eskelson

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64 comments

ButterYum March 28, 2011 - 9:04 am

Aw… what a sweet post. I'm sorry your Grandpa Mark isn't with you anymore :(… I bet he would have been tickled by the fact that you dedicated this post to him.

🙂
ButterYum

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Mary March 28, 2011 - 3:09 pm

Loved the memories of Mark. He was a great man!

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Tammy March 28, 2011 - 5:26 pm

Sounds like a wonderful man! We don't quite realize what we have until it is gone. Sounds like he left a wonderful legacy and lived his life for his family, you were blessed to have a great mentor…one day in Heaven we will all rejoice together again! Thanks for the yummy version of meatloaf, one can never have enough versions of meatloaf to try!

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Anonymous March 28, 2011 - 11:21 pm

What a testimonial about a guy who sounds really nice. I love meatloaf, especially meatloaf with crackers. That's the way my mama made hers (a lot like this one). Will definately make this one for my husband and myself. I'll make the full recipe – have leftovers for sandwiches & freeze the rest. How simple!!!

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ButterYum March 31, 2011 - 1:24 pm

I found the cooking technique for this meatloaf to be so interesting… bought all the ingredients and will make it for dinner today or tomorrow. Can't wait to give it a try.

🙂
ButterYum

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Cakes Divine April 1, 2011 - 2:04 am

Okay, this was about the best thing I've ever eaten. Made it for dinner tonight and it was out of this world. Thank you so much, now I have a Grandpa Mark!

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Sarah-Jane - SiliconeMoulds.com April 5, 2011 - 11:45 pm

I found this recipe via ButterYum. Looks really good and I'm sure Grandpa MArk would be proud of you for sharing it with us.

It's on my bookmarked list to make VERY soon and I'm now also your newest follower

Siliconemoulds.blogspot.com

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ButterYum April 6, 2011 - 3:03 am

Absolutely delish – thanks so very much!!!

🙂
ButterYum

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About Us April 11, 2011 - 11:43 pm

I miss that man! He certainly was a character and always made me feel really special anytime I walked in the room! Thanks for the post and i will try this recipe!

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Nora October 16, 2011 - 8:10 pm

I made Grandpa Mark's meatloaf last week and it was a big hit at our home. I even ate leftovers the next day…and I do not like leftovers. Thanks for posting and we'll definitely enjoy it many more times.

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Anonymous December 30, 2011 - 12:14 am

Thank you for sharing the story about your father-in-law along with his recipe! This was the best meatloaf I've ever made! Simple ingredients, easy directions, and simply delicious!

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Brandy April 10, 2012 - 4:27 am

your last photo had a sprig of curly leaf parsley on it….I grow this to PRESS AND DRY it in my greeting card creations, Jamie! I sooooo needed a great meatloaf recipe! YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER and MY NEW BEST FRIEND! XOXOXOX

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Teri April 16, 2012 - 2:49 pm

Best. Meatloaf. Ever. Thanks for sharing this recipe and the story about your father-in-law.

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Anonymous April 28, 2012 - 3:30 pm

I made this recipe and it was yummo! I made one slight change…I carmelized the onions before I put them in the meatloaf. So moist

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Nichole September 1, 2012 - 4:25 pm

Was just wondering how to freeze Grandpa Mark’s meatloaf. Do I do the recipe up until the baking point or bake it, freeze it and then reheat it when we want to heat it? Thank you!

Grandpa Mark seemed like an awesome guy!

Reply
Jamie September 3, 2012 - 12:41 am

Nichole,
It is easiest if you freeze the meat loaf raw. Then just be sure it has defrosted fully before you cook it. Good luck!
~Jamie

Reply
September Menu Plan 2012 September 5, 2012 - 12:31 am

[…] (Crock Pot),  Zucchini Tomato and Chicken Bake, Fluffy Dinner Rolls, Cheese and Vegetable Soup, Grandpa Marks Meatloaf  Just a few housekeeping notes before we chat about a menu plan for you all. I wanted to thank you […]

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Gidget September 19, 2012 - 11:51 am

Now that sounds wonderful!

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Ade February 7, 2014 - 11:54 pm

Let me know how you like it. It is really good even Grace likes it and she is fkcniiy about her food. If you want I can have BJ come over and make it for you

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Mark October 2, 2012 - 7:39 pm

I only used 2 and 1/4 lbs of hamburger and this thing is taking forever to cook! I cooked it for 40 minutes and only the outside was brown, the rest was raw! So I put it in for another 20 minutes and its still not done. Trying for another 20 minutes and hopefully this thing will finally be done. Don’t know why its taking so long.

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Amber October 4, 2012 - 1:38 pm

Trying this for dinner tonight. It’ll be my first time making meatloaf. I love all of your recipes. Since I take night classes and my parents and siblings are at school during the day I love surprising them with a fantastic dinner when they get home. All thanks to you! 🙂

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Diana November 5, 2012 - 10:51 am

The meatloaf was fantastic!!!! Great flavor and easy to make. I do have a question though. Is there a mistake with the cooking time? I halved the recipe and still got 2 large loaves. I cooked it for the time above and it was still pink. I did use a more shallow pan. Maybe that was the difference. Any thoughts?

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Debbie November 21, 2012 - 4:34 pm

This is very delicious!!! Like Mark and Diane, I had to cook it much longer than the recipe called for. Maybe I’ll try several small loaves next time.
Tasty and moist!! Will definitely be making again!

Reply
February Menu Plan 2013 February 4, 2013 - 6:31 am

[…] Jamie on February 4, 2013 Zuppa Toscana and Olive Garden Breadsticks, Grandpa Mark Meatloaf, Italian Cream Cheese Chicken, Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls, […]

Reply
Pat June 14, 2013 - 5:08 pm

I have made your meatloaf recipe several times and it is perfect every time. I love it! And I can tell I would have really liked your FIL. Thanks for sharing.

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Rochelle June 14, 2013 - 7:42 pm

Made this for dinner this eve…I made it per the recipe but it was not done at all when it came out of the oven after 40 min. Ended up cooking for 3o minutes more until it was cooked through. Good thing it was Friday night…kids had to have a snack while they were waiting for it to finally be done. Did I do something wrong?!

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Valerie November 15, 2013 - 7:19 am

Jamie, I just want to thank you for your marvelous, easy, family friendly and DELICIOUS recipes. I recently became acquainted with your site, and I think it’s just wonderful. Thanks for sharing your recipes – and your family! – with the world.

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jean ash November 21, 2013 - 3:32 pm

your oven temp gauge may be inaccurate. get a little one you can place in your oven and save yourself a lot of money for replacing the thermaostat

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Vicki November 21, 2013 - 8:22 pm

Your Father-in-law sounds just like my Dad,always trying to make everything better and just having him around did that!He could make the sun shine on a foggy,cloudy and rainy day, even if it was no where to be found,he is gone also. A day never goes by without thinking about him and wishing he was here, such a great guy! Wonderful story,Thanks for sharing it. The meatloaf is great, thanks for the recipe.

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carol smith November 21, 2013 - 11:41 pm

wow, he sounds like a wonderful man. you were very lucky to have him. my one son loves meatloaf, as do i, he’ll be home from school soon. can’t wait to surprise him with this. thank you

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Richard November 23, 2013 - 3:45 pm

Your grandpa Mark sounded like a good man. I know he is proud of you. I printed off a copy of the meatloaf and will try it. looks good. Thanks

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Grace Fields McIntyr December 2, 2013 - 5:18 pm

Yes, it would be wonderful if you had a “print recipe.”

Thanks,

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Kentucky Lady 717 December 8, 2013 - 12:53 pm

What a great post….and your wedding dress is beautiful, and what a great looking family grandpa Mark has….sounds like a really great family…signed up for your blog,looking forward to making this meat loaf too..it looks wonderful….sent it to my sister too…..

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Dianne December 8, 2013 - 7:42 pm

I will be making this one for sure as it sounds so good..I too, now have Grampa Mark,s special meatloaf! Thank you for sharing with all of us!

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Donna December 12, 2013 - 5:28 am

Just wanted to say that this is the best meatloaf I have ever eaten! I never really was a big fan of meatloaf. I saw your post and suddenly got hungry for meatloaf, so I went home and tried it and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I am going to share the recipe with my daughters. Thank you!

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Nancy A. January 12, 2014 - 3:12 pm

He sounds like a wonderful man and I am going to try this meatloaf in honor of him. Isn’t it sad when people like this leave us and we still have so much to learn from them? Sorry he is gone, he sounds like a fun man and very wise. My mom had congestive heart failure, too and is gone now. I miss her so much and all her knowledge and laughter!

Reply
Carolyn K. January 23, 2014 - 10:31 am

Enjoyed your tribute and pictures. I am adding this to be “great recipes” as it was delicious. Thanks you for sharing.
PS) the Cherry Chocolate Cake is to die for 😉

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Patricia Norris January 30, 2014 - 9:35 am

I enjoyed the meatloaf but wasnt fond of the sweet sugar. Great recipe leaving out the brown sugar.

Reply
Sweet and Savory BBQ Meatballs March 5, 2014 - 12:31 am

[…] the other day that she has been making some fabulous meatballs using our standard family recipe for Meatloaf. (Click here to see that fabulous recipe). She gave me a play by-play of how to make the meatballs […]

Reply
Phyllis Courtney September 9, 2014 - 1:03 am

I’ll be making this delicious meatloaf soon. What a nice tribute to your father-in-law! I enjoyed your photos of him and your wedding picture with the family.

Reply
Weekly Menu Plan: Sept 12-19 September 12, 2015 - 12:30 am

[…] Grandpa Mark’s Meatloaf […]

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Mary Szydlowski October 18, 2015 - 6:06 pm

This recipe was absolutely delish!! Sooo moist! Got high reviews from all who ate! It did take longer as those mentioned above the inside was raw, but other then that worth the extra time baking! The honey mustard is definitely a nice lil secret tucked inside! Would like to know if lite or brown sugar was used by grandpa Mark? Thanks for posting! The ONLY meatloaf recipe I’ll use for now on! 🙂 🙂

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Mary Szydlowski October 18, 2015 - 6:12 pm

*lite or dark brown sugar

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Darlene Williams November 20, 2015 - 12:39 pm

So anxious to try this meatloaf recipe as I love meatloaf a lot & this sounds so good from all the comments., Your Grandpa was a very special guy. Thanks for sharing. This was the lst time finding your site. Impressed! Dar

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Angie Mann October 5, 2016 - 7:27 pm

Wow!I made it tonight for dinner! We have definitely giving this meatloaf a 10+ ! ??

Reply
Jamie October 10, 2016 - 8:19 am

Angie,
So glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Best,
~Jamie

Reply
Weekly Menu Plan: October 15-22 October 15, 2016 - 7:46 am

[…] Grandpa Mark’s Meatloaf  […]

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Joann February 16, 2017 - 12:01 pm

I have quite a few meatloaf recipes none of which I’ve particularly cared for. Made Grandpa’s Meatloaf and must say, it’s a keeper. Thank you for sharing.

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Gordon Volkert May 8, 2017 - 8:45 am

Well you got the guy in every crowd who loves to cook. What a great testimony to your Father in law! I can not wait to try this meatloaf. One of my favorites, it looks incredibly delish! Love your sense of humor as well, really nice!!

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Jamie May 8, 2017 - 11:52 am

Gordon,
Thank you for your kind comment. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Best,
~Jamie

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ken May 24, 2017 - 1:33 pm

Iam a grandpa too and I love cooking for my family. I have made his meatloaf and I can tell you as I write this it is in the oven baking as we speak. This wonderful aroma that is in the air reminds me about how my grandpa used to cook,we always looked forward to his famous ghoulash among other things he made for us. I miss him he was a hard worker but always found love and time for us grandkids. Thank you for his recepie. Very truly yours, Ken,Ketelhut

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Jamie May 25, 2017 - 6:11 pm

Ken,
Thanks for your great comment. I hope the recipe turned out well for you!
Best,
~Jamie

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Lindsey December 22, 2017 - 6:20 pm

Jamie, I don’t like meatloaf but this is to die for. Thank you for yet another great recipe. You did it again!

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ALEXIS COWGER May 29, 2018 - 4:28 pm

Hi Jaime:

I don’t have crackers but I have oats, which my mother always used in her meatloaf recipes. Would that work in this recipe & how many cups of oats would I use to replace 2 ‘sleeves’ of crackers??

Thanks!
Alexis

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Jamie May 31, 2018 - 9:32 pm

hi Alexis,
Thanks for your question. I haven’t ever tried using oats, but imagine it would work out pretty well. I would suggest trying about 1/2 C.
Best of luck to you!
~Jamie

Reply
Alexis Cowger May 31, 2018 - 10:00 am

Hi Jaime:
Could I please get an answer to my question??

Thanks!
Alexis

Reply
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