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I just made meatloaf by mixing 90% ground beef with shredded cheddar cheese, milk, an egg, and oats. I cooked it on 350 degrees for 50 minutes. It tastes fine but the mixture is kind of mushy and losses its shape. How do I make the meatloaf bond together better?
There are several factors, but the texture of meatloaf primarily depends on the ratio of binder, filler and meat.
In this case, your binder is the egg. Specifically, the protein in the egg white helps hold the meat proteins together.
The filler is the mixture of milk and oats. I've heard that toasted panko is more effective at absorbing milk, and also that cooking it can help. I haven't tried these options though, so I can't recommend them.
One thing I've done is replacing a portion of the beef with ground veal, which contains more collagen. This breaks down into gelatin in the oven, and gives the meat a silky texture without loosening it - allowing me to use less filler.
You can simulate this effect by using a small amount of powdered gelatin in your filler directly.
Corn starch or potato starch work well binding ground mixtures. Don't use too much or you'll end up altering the texture
