The Unexpected Ingredient That Makes A Great Binder For Meatloaf

The humble meatloaf is as classic as it gets for a quick weeknight dinner. It's a savory dish made from ground meat, eggs, and spices; the key to creating a perfect loaf that's moist and holds together well is in the binder or filler. Once you add the basics, spice up the loaf to include various flavors using different sauces, vegetables, and spices.

Traditional recipes call for binders like plain or Italian breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, oatmeal, stale bread, and even boxed stuffing mix. But one unexpected ingredient has been overlooked far too long. Rice Krispies, the Kellog's breakfast cereal made from crisped rice and famous for its "snap, crackle and pop" sounds, can make a perfect filler for your next meatloaf. So grab that cereal box and save time, money, and hassle by adding Rice Krispies to make a perfect filler.

The binder is the second most important ingredient in a meatloaf, following the meat. Without a binder, meatloaf is just one big hunk of hamburger, and it's the binder that gives meatloaf its signature moisture and soft texture. 

Meatloaf can be made with various types of ground meat, ranging from beef to turkey to pork. You can even use veal or game meat like venison for this dish. However, the result can be tough, dry, and greasy without the binder material.

Binders like eggs and the ho-hum breadcrumbs help keep the whole mixture together and give it the moist, tender texture meatloaf is famous for. Rice Krispies works great as a binder material thanks to their plain, starchy, porous, and crisp structure. Because these rice bits are relatively tasteless, they also bulk up and soak up the flavor of the spices and meat in the meal you are cooking.

Making the change is easy. For instance, if you're making the classic Italian meatloaf or a spicy Mexican meatloaf, swap the plain breadcrumbs for Rice Krispies and get cooking.

Meatloaf isn't just a modern or American invention. Reminiscent of the Dutch meatball, you can find varieties of this meat and bread concoction in German, Scandinavian, and Belgian fare.

The modern American variety can trace its roots to Roman times when chopped meat was combined with spices, bread soaked in wine, and pine nuts were formed into a burger patty. In America, Pennsylvanian Dutch settlers introduced scrapple in the 18th century, combining the organs and low-quality cuts of meat from a slaughtered pig with cornmeal and seasonings before forming a loaf, sliced and pan-fried. 

Luckily, these days, you don't have to include heart, liver, or lungs in your recipe unless you want to. Using pantry staples and store-bought meats, meatloaf is the perfect home-cooked meal for the entire family. Get creative with different meatloaf recipes for an exciting and delicious dinner that even non-loaf fans will eat.