Parker Family Meatloaf

Serve when

Randy's already groaning 'meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf' before it hits the table — serve the second the Old Man tells him to eat like a normal person.

In the movie

Theatrical

~00:31:30 Weeknight dinner at the Parker house: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and red cabbage on the table, with Randy refusing to touch his plate until the Old Man threatens to force-feed him with a screwdriver and a plumber's helper.

This is the meal the Parkers eat most nights of the week, and the film uses it to needle Randy for refusing to eat and the Old Man for how he handles it — long before the turkey ever shows up, this ordinary dinner table is where the family's whole dynamic gets set.

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef (or a beef-and-pork mix)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup ketchup, plus more for the top
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a few minutes until softened.
Combine the ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with your hands just until combined — overworking it makes the loaf dense.
Pack into a 9x5-inch loaf pan or shape freehand on a baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of ketchup over the top.
Bake for about an hour, until the internal temperature reads 160°F.
Rest for 10 minutes before slicing — this is Tuesday-night comfort food, not a showpiece, so don't fuss over the plating.