Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Lightly grease a 23x13 cm (9x5 inch) loaf tin or line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you prefer a free-form loaf.

Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and green pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they have softened and the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare the Binder: In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers and the milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. This mixture, known as a panade, helps keep the meatloaf incredibly moist.

Combine the Ingredients: To the bowl with the cracker mixture, add the ground beef, grated cheddar, the cooled onion and pepper mixture, beaten eggs, thyme, salt, and black pepper.

Mix Gently: Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until just combined. What works best for me is to mix lightly to avoid a dense, tough meatloaf. Overworking the meat is the number one enemy of a tender texture!

Shape the Loaf: Transfer the mixture to your prepared loaf tin, pressing it down gently. Or, shape it into a rectangular loaf on your lined baking sheet.

First Bake: Place the meatloaf in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Make the Glaze: While the meatloaf is baking, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until smooth.

Glaze and Finish Baking: After 40 minutes, carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spread half of the glaze evenly over the top. Return it to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Spread the remaining glaze over the top for the final few minutes of baking, until the glaze is bubbling and caramelised. The internal temperature should reach 71°C (160°F) on a meat thermometer, as recommended by the Food Standards Agency.

Rest Before Serving: Let the meatloaf rest in the tin for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every slice is moist and holds together.