CrockPot Meat Loaf

Once again I'm pulling out the crockpot to help me with dinner. I've made this recipe before, and still really like it. Its from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. One of the reasons I bought the cookbook is that there are 4 different meatloaf recipes. Gotta love that! Anyway, back to the recipe.

Old Fashioned Meat Loaf

Cooker: medium or large round or oval
Settings and Cook Times: HIGH for 1 hour, then LOW for 6 hours; ketchup and bell pepper rings added during the last 30 minutes

Meatloaf:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 large egg, beaten
1 or 2 slices whole wheat or white sandwich bread
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tsp seasoned salt or salt-free herb blend
1/4 tsp dried thyme
a few grinds of black pepper
1/2 cup tomato or V8 juice

Topping:
3/4 cup ketchup or prepared chili sauce
4 bell pepper rings, 1/2 inch thick

1. Combine the ground chuck and egg in a large bowl. Tear the bread slices into quarters or eighths, put in a food processor and pulse until reduced to about 1/2 cup of crumbs. (Alternately, tear the bread into 1-inch pieces, place in a bowl, pour over 1/4 cup tomato juice, then add to the meat.) Add the onion, minced bell pepper, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and tomato juice. Using your hands or a large fork, mix gently but thoroughly.

2. Make and aluminum foil "cradle" that will help you easily remove the meat loaf from the slow cooker when it is done: Tear off a sheet of foil about 24 inches long. Place along the edge of the counter, and tear in half lengthwise. Fold each piece in half lengthwise, and then in half again. Place the strips in the cooker in a cross shape, centering them. The edges of the strips will hang over the edge of the cooker. Place the meat mixture on top of the strips and shape into an oval or round loaf, depending on the shape of your cooker, by pressing gently, evening out the top and shaping it to fit your cooker. Bend the foil strips toward the meat load so they will no prevent the cover of the cooker from closing properly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.

3. Turn the cooker to LOW and cook until and instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the center of the meat load registers at least 160F to 165F, about 6 hours.

4. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, bend the foil strips out of the way, pour the ketchup over the top of the load, and arrange the pepper rings decoratively over the meat loaf. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes on LOW.

5. To serve, lift the meat loaf onto a cutting board or serving platter, using the foil "handles". Slide out and discard the foil strips. Slice the meat loaf and serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold the next day.


My Notes:
1. I omitted the minced bell pepper and increased the onion and celery. I also omitted the tomato juice substituting beef broth.
2. I also did not put any topping on the meat loaf. We ate it with skillet garlic green beans; delicious!
3. I have a 6-qt oval, and 6 hours was plenty long enough for this to cook. I probably could have done 5 hours and it would have been done enough.
4. The foil "handles" sound a bit odd, but they work really well. I've made this and other meat loaves in my slow cooker and have never had a problem getting them out.