Southern Meatloaf Isn't The Same Without This Key Pantry Ingredient

Every region of the United States has its culinary druthers. From the layered up pans of hot dish served up in Minnesota to the dogged loyalty for Old Bay everything served up in the mid-Atlantic region, every part of the country has a special something it brings to the table. That said, meatloaf is a staple in every corner of America. The thrifty, Depression-era dinner has since become a beloved comfort dish. However, meatloaf's ubiquitousness doesn't mean that every meatloaf is made the same. In the Southern United States, for example, the plain ol' breadcrumbs usually used to bind meatloaf are swapped for crackers.

Crackers give meatloaf the dense, moist texture that makes Southern meatloaf iconic, and using Ritz crackers gives a buttery, rich taste that amps up the comforting flavors. You can also use saltine crackers if you want a more neutral taste but still want a dense texture. To add, simply crush your crackers, or put them through a food processor, then mix into your meatloaf as you would breadcrumbs. Your crackers shouldn't be added whole, but there is some leeway when it comes to texture. My family recipe calls for roughly crushed crackers that leave some small chunks studded throughout. In my experience, a rougher texture creates a more tender, juicy meatloaf. Bake as usual and top with your preferred sauce — or wrap in bacon for even more meaty flavor.

Crackers aren't the only ingredient that sets Southern meatloaf apart from the rest. Though not universal, many Southern recipes call for chopped green bell peppers, which bring a little bit of fresh flavor that perks up the typically rich dish. To double up on pepper flavor, top your meatloaf with pepper jelly rather than ketchup or a tomato-based sauce. This brings a fresh pepper taste and sweetness that perks up the dinnertime classic. You can use both or either of these additions to your meatloaf, regardless of whether or not you add crackers to your mix.

If you mix in crackers, you needn't stick with basic Ritz or saltines — have fun with your cracker choice. For example, Cheez-Its make a wonderful, and unexpected, base for meatloaf. You can also used flavored varieties of Ritz crackers; garlic butter or hot honey-flavored Ritz make great, flavor-packed mix-ins for this dish.

For even more Southern flair, mix pimento cheese into your meatloaf. The quintessentially Southern cheese dip brings a good bit of moisture and cheese flavor (along with the taste of the eponymous pimento peppers). That, along with butter Ritz crackers and chopped green peppers, makes for maybe the most Southern meatloaf known to man.