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We love Jamie Oliver's Pot Roast Meatloaf. It's different from traditional meatloaf and has become our go-to recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipe-print.php?url=pot-roast-meatloaf-usa-version-imperial

Mom's Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 lb ground meat mix (beef/pork/veal)
2 eggs
1 Tbs milk
Bread crumbs
Ritz crackers
1 can condensed vegetable soup
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Salt & Pepper

Instructions
Knead meat, eggs, milk, soup together
Add bread crumbs and crackers until moist and firm
Make into a loaf shape and place in a baking dish
Cook 350° for 1 hour uncovered

Two versions:

Brown Sugar Meatloaf: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brown-sugar-meatloaf/.
Edits include using Ritz instead of saltines, mixing the ketchup and brown sugar together and putting it on top instead of below the meat, and mixing 1 lb. of ground beef with 1/2 lb. of ground sausage.

Applesauce Beef Loaf: older version of Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 cup applesauce, divided
1 lb. ground beef
1 slightly beaten egg
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 -1/2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1 dash pepper
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Combine 1 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/2 slices) and 1/2 cup applesauce. Add 1 lb. ground beef, 1 slightly beaten egg, 1/4 cup finely chopped celery, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion, 1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt, and dash pepper; blend thoroughly. Shape into a round loaf in an 8- x 8- x 2-inch baking pan.

With a spoon, make a crater-like depression in top of loaf. Combine 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1-1/2 tsp. vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard; pour into depression. Bake at 350° F. for 1 hour.

Variation: Where the recipe calls for applesauce, put 1/2 mint jelly, 1/2 applesauce. My dad came up with this variation and it is how I grew up eating it.

My version involves Lipton onion soup mix- not recommending that for your fine beef. But, I have a trick for all of the fat. Place bread slices under the loaf with the ends sticking out to prevent tje loaf from reabsorbing all the fat that cooks off. The loaf will still be tender.

Given the trouble you went through to get your beef...here's what I'd suggest.

Take some bread and add enough milk to soak it. When its soaked break it up with your hands to make a mush.

Cut up an onion, a couple of stalks of celery and a stick of carrot into small pieces. Melt some butter in a pan. Add some fresh thyme, a smashed clove of garlic and a bay leaf and sautee until fragrant. Add the onions, celery and carrot. Season with salt and taste it. Cook until softened. Remove from heat and let cool down. Pick out the stems of thyme, the bay leaf and if you can still easily find it, the garlic.

Chop up some parsley. To your ground beef, add the cooked veggies, the parsley, a couple of eggs. Squeeze the milk out of the soaked bread and add it to the mix. Add some salt. Mix it all together with your hands. Take a tiny bit of the mix and make a tiny burger with it. Fry it. Taste it...does it need more salt? more spice? Adjust the raw mix and repeat until you're happy with the result.

Put the loaf into a loaf pan, then turn out onto a sheet tray. Add some honey to ketchup to taste (this would also be a great place for Worcestershire, or soy, or even parmesan). Brush it all over the loaf.

Pop the whole thing into the oven and cook until it's done!