I decided to
challenge myself with the crockpot this week, and make something that was
totally out of my realm. (I challenged myself last week with rather grim
results, by making Bananas Foster in the crockpot. It did not come out well, so
be warned.) I found a recipe for a slow cooked meatloaf, and
was curious enough to give it a try. I think this is going to be my new favorite
way to make meatloaf. There have been times when I have made it the traditional
way, i.e. baking it in the oven, and have taken it out, sliced it, and
those slices have fallen to bits. That was my fear for this meatloaf, but it
didn't happen. The slices were absolutely beautiful, and the taste? Well, the title "Melts in Your Mouth"
describes this perfectly. It is delicious!
If you haven't tried making meatloaf
in the crockpot, consider doing it, and I mean now! You can even make the meatloaf the night before,
keep it covered in the fridge, and then put it into the crockpot in the
morning. I'd advise you to spray the inside of the crock with Pam, particularly on the
sides, in order to make cleanup easy. This one's a keeper folks.
Slow Cooker
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meatloaf
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
1 egg
1/4 cup plus 1 T.
whole milk
1/3 cup seasoned
breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried
minced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon
rubbed sage
1/4 cup sliced
fresh mushrooms
2 T. ketchup
1 pound ground chuck
Sauce:
2 T. ketchup
1 tablespoon brown
sugar
1/2 teaspoon
ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce
Combine egg, milk, breadcrumbs, onion, salt,
sage, mushrooms, and ketchup in a large bowl. Crumble ground beef over mixture,
and stir well to combine. Shape into a round loaf; place in a 4.5-quart slow
cooker. Cover and cook on Low until a meat thermometer reads 160°F, about 5
to 6 hours.
Whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and
Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl; spoon sauce over meat loaf. Continue to
cook on Low for an additional 20-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
