How to cook frozen meatloaf? (5 easy steps)

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How to cook frozen meatloaf?”, discuss answers to other related questions like how long should you cook meatloaf from frozen, and how long can you keep homemade meatloaf.

How to cook frozen meatloaf?

To cook frozen meatloaf with convenience, you can bake it without even thawing it first. Be sure not to overheat the meatloaf, or it may dry out. If you want to add moisture to the meat, then during the baking process just top it with a simple glaze, such as ketchup or barbecue sauce.

5 easy steps to cook frozen meatloaf

Follow the directions given below to cook frozen meatloaf:

  1. First of all, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Put the frozen, foil-wrapped meatloaf in a shallow baking pan and place the baking pan on the center of the preheated oven rack.
  3. Let the meatloaf bake for atleast 1 hour.
  4. After 1 hour, remove the baking pan from the oven using potholders. Unwrap the foil from the meatloaf and brush the top of the meatloaf with a glaze if desired.
  5. Place the meatloaf back into the oven and bake, uncovered, for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until it reaches the proper temperature. Place an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the meatloaf to check its temperature, which should register 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How long should you cook meatloaf from frozen?

Frozen meatloaf needs to be cooked for 1.5 to 2 times longer than a thawed meatloaf or until the internal temperature reaches at least 155 Fahrenheit. Therefore, you will need to bake it at 350 for at least 1 hr and 30 minutes, but it may take up to two hours.

If your meatloaf is thawed, you can bake it at 350 for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches at least 155 Fahrenheit. 

Can you eat undercooked meatloaf?

Meat is the most widely used protein in the world because it has lower fat and a higher protein ratio. But if you eat undercooked or raw meat, you can get seriously ill because certain microorganisms are found on the meat that are potentially pathogenic. So, it is very important to cook meat properly, as, at an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, most of these pathogens are killed.

Pathogens found in undercooked meat

The most important pathogens that are found in undercooked meat are Salmonella and Campylobacter. But certain other bacteria can also be found in undercooked or raw meat including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Klebsiella.

Illness after consuming undercooked meat

As discussed earlier, if meat is undercooked, there are sure chances of the presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter or both. Both of these bacteria are known to cause severe foodborne illness.

Symptoms of Salmonella-based food poisoning may appear within 24 to 48 hours after consumption of undercooked meat and these symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. These symptoms will last for 2 to 4 days until and unless the immune system becomes able to cope with the pathogen.

Symptoms of Campylobacter-based food poisoning appear within 2 to 10 days after the consumption of undercooked contaminated meat and the symptoms are somewhat the same as those for Salmonella-based food poisoning but the difference is that there is bloody diarrhea in case of Campylobacter-based food poisoning. These symptoms last for up to 4 days but if the condition is getting more severe, you may also need to take some prescribed antibiotics.

Much care is needed, as these bacteria, if get into the blood of the patient, can also cause bacteremia. Salmonella typhii can cause typhoid fever while Campylobacter can cause reactive arthritis with inflammation of joints, eyes, urinary system, and reproductive organs.

How long can you keep homemade meatloaf?

The duration of keeping homemade meatloaf depends on the conditions under which you store it. For just cooked meatloaf, it is recommended to let them cool for 2 hours at room temperature. Make sure that this duration does not exceed this, otherwise, the meatloaf will get potentially contaminated by the bacteria.

If you are to use meatloaf within 3 to 4 days, refrigeration can serve the purpose. To refrigerate, place the meatloaf in a shallow airtight container or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

If you are to use meatloaf within 3 to 4 months, then it is better to freeze them. To freeze, place them in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How to cook frozen meatloaf?”, discussed answers to other related questions like how long should you cook meatloaf from frozen, and how long can you keep homemade meatloaf.

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