H&F — Belgian Meatloaf, Elevated

Belgian Meatloaf with Liège-Style Onion Glaze

Where Flemish comfort meets quiet refinement—our table-ready take on vleesbrood / pain de viande, the Belgian classic.

In Belgium, meatloaf is less showy and more soulful—bread softened with milk, aromatics softened in butter, and a finish that leans savory–sweet. We honor that tradition with a silken loaf and a glossy Liège-style onion glaze (think caramelized onions brightened with vinegar and deepened with apple–pear syrup). It’s weekday-easy, dinner-party elegant.

Ingredients

For the Loaf

  • 2 lbs (900 g) ground beef (or 1½ lb beef + ½ lb veal)
  • bread soaked in milk
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • Onions finely chopped
  • Mushrooms, finely chopped (optional but very Belgian)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1¼ tsp fine salt, ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • Optional (trad-bistro flourish): 1 Tbsp cognac + 1 Tbsp port

For the Liège-Style Onion Glaze

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 cups (about 3 large) onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (plus more to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 2–2½ cups beef stock
  • ⅓–½ cup Sirop de Liège (apple–pear syrup) or apple butter
  • 2 bay leaves, pinch of thyme, salt & pepper
  • Handful of golden raisins

Method

  1. Sweat the aromatics. In a skillet, melt the butter; soften onion 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until moisture evaporates. Stir in garlic 30 seconds; cool completely.
  2. Mix the loaf. In a bowl, combine beef, soaked breadcrumbs (squeeze excess milk back in), egg, parsley, thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cooled aromatics. Splash in cognac/port if using; mix gently until just cohesive.
  3. Make the glaze. Meanwhile, melt butter; cook onions to pale gold. Stir in brown sugar to lightly caramelize. Deglaze with vinegar; reduce briefly. Sprinkle flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock, Sirop de Liège, bay, thyme, raisins; simmer to a glossy nappe. Season to a bright-savory balance.
  4. Glaze & rest. Spoon some glaze over the loaf for the final 10 minutes of baking. Rest 10 minutes; slice and serve with more warm glaze.

Serving Notes

  • Trad Belgian sides: Buttered potatoes or frites, braised red cabbage, or apple sauce—simple, honest, perfect foils.
  • Cold the next day: Belgian meatloaf is lovely sliced with good bread and mustard.
  • Wine/beer pairing: A malty Belgian dubbel or a soft, earthy Beaujolais-Villages flatters both the sweetness of the glaze and the savor of the loaf.

This is comfort with contours: familiar, but thoughtfully refined. Carve at the table, let the glaze catch the light, and serve with the quiet confidence of a recipe that’s been loved for generations.