Forget every timer app you own. The only truth in meatloaf is internal temperature. For a 5lb loaf, you’re aiming for 160°F (71°C) in the center. That’s not negotiable—it’s the difference between “tender” and “I need a stomach pump.”
But if you must know a time estimate, here it is: bake it at 350°F for roughly 60 to 75 minutes. Yes, that’s a range. Meatloaf is a drama queen—it takes longer if you open the oven door every ten minutes to “check on it.”
Why 350°F? Because Science (And Laziness)
350°F is the Goldilocks zone of meat cookery. Hot enough to brown the outside, but not so hot that your kitchen smells like a tire fire. Cooking a 5lb meatloaf at a higher temp, say 400°F, risks a charred hockey puck exterior with a cold, pink center. Lower, like 325°F, and you’ll be waiting until your grandkids are teenagers.
One surprising fact: the shape of your meatloaf matters more than you think. A tall, round loaf cooks slower on the inside. A flat, wide one dries out faster. Aim for a gently mounded rectangle, about 2.5 inches thick—like a sad, lumpy pillow made of beef. That shape ensures even cooking.
