This isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about meatloaf. It is on track to edge out fried chicken as my favorite comfort food. I know…this is shocking, because I also really love fried chicken. But fried chicken is such a process to make at home. Hot oil is involved, and I really have to have mashed potatoes and homemade gravy alongside the chicken (because otherwise, what’s the point?). Meatloaf, on the other hand, is easy to throw together and does not bring the potential for death or dismemberment by sizzling oil. And while I do enjoy mashed potatoes and gravy with my meatloaf, I’m equally happy with simple roasted vegetables and a healthy dollop of nature’s gravy ketchup.

I’ve tried dozens of meatloaf recipes – all beef, beef + pork + veal, turkey, tofu, made in a loaf pan, free-formed, mini. But until I purchased Slow Cooker Revolution, I never thought a tasty meatloaf could come out of my Crock Pot. Leave it to America’s Test Kitchen to completely change my mind on that. This was easy to throw together, and came out perfectly moist and flavorful. Was it any easier than throwing a meatloaf in the oven? Not really. In fact, many of the recipes in Slow Cooker Revolution require prep work or extra steps that take away from the perceived convenience of Crock Pot cuisine. But after sampling several of these recipes (and being impressed by all of them),  I’m hooked on this book. The novelty alone is enough to keep me coming back for more.

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution, America’s Test Kitchen

Cooking spray

1 medium onion, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters

1/2 c whole milk (or in my case, 1/4 c skim milk and 1/4 c half and half)

2 lb 85% lean ground beef

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp hot sauce

Salt and pepper

1/2 c ketchup

1/4 c brown sugar

4 tsp cider vinegar

First, prep your slow cooker by making a foil collar and foil sling. (This process not only helps you remove the finished meatloaf in one piece, it also creates a nice layer of insulation for even cooking.)  For the collar, tear off 3 – 4 long sheets of aluminum foil. Stack them and fold the edges until you have a thick rectangle measuring 16″ long and 4″ wide. Press this collar along the back side of your slow cooker; it will look like a half moon. Next, make a foil sling by taking two additional sheets of foil and laying them perpendicular to one another in the slow cooker. Press the two sheets of foil against the inside of the slow cooker, covering the foil collar and leaving enough of an overhang at the top that you will be able to lift the finished product out of the slow cooker. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

Next, prep the meatloaf. Place the chopped onion, garlic, thyme and canola oil in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high power for 2 1/2 minutes. Stir, then microwave an additional 2/12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bread and milk with a fork until a thick paste forms. Add the ground beef, onion/garlic mixture, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Use your hands to gently combine, then transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and form a loaf.

Combine the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar and brush half of the mixture on to the meatloaf; save the rest for later. Cover the slow cooker and cook the meatloaf for four hours on low. When it’s done, use the foil sling to carefully lift the finished loaf from the slow cooker. Gently tilt the loaf and allow any juice or fat to drain back into the slow cooker, or into a separate bowl. Place the loaf and foil on a rimmed baking sheet and flatten the foil. Brush the loaf with the remaining ketchup mixture and, for a bit of extra color and flavor, broil the meatloaf in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the loaf to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into wedges for serving.

Extensive Facebook research tells me that most of my acquaintances have no love for meatloaf. They say it’s mushy. It’s gross. It’s something they were force-fed as children, and therefore they have no desire to eat it as adults. I’ll admit it’s not the most attractive food in the world (brown food just doesn’t photograph well, unless it’s chocolate cake), but I stand by its deliciousness…and I’ll even declare it one of my favorite foods!

Unlike most kids, I actually looked forward to meatloaf night. A nice hunk of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas? Yes, please! It got even better the next day when my mom or grandpa would whip up a tasty hash of meatloaf and fried potatoes. Top that with ketchup and you’ll make me very happy, indeed.

Flavorwise, I consider meatloaf to be like a delicious baked hamburger, or a giant meatball – so it surprises me when people love those foods, yet hate meatloaf. My friend Susan said the mushiness makes it unlike any burger she’s ever eaten, and that it’s only good if you’re lucky enough to get a crusty end piece. There’s an easy solution to this problem: make individual loaves so every portion has a nice, crispy exterior and tender interior. Be a good kid and try it. Just one bite. For me.

Individual Meat Loaves

adapted from Ina Garten

1 pound ground beef*

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chicken or beef broth

3 tbsp ketchup

1/4 c Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 c finely grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium low heat. Add the onions, dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, or until soft and translucent but not brown. Add the garlic during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Take the pan off the heat and add 1 tbsp ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce and the chicken or beef broth. Stir to combine and allow to cool slightly.

Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl and add the beaten egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, onion mixture and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Use a fork to lightly combine the mixture; do not mash, or the meat loaves will be tough. Form into two to three individual loaves, top with remaining ketchup, and place on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan that’s been coated with cooking spray. Bake the loaves for 40 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

*Meat loaf is one recipe where I don’t use the leanest ground beef available – it makes the loaf a bit tough. I suggest 80/20 or 85/15 beef for this recipe, but use whatever kind you prefer.

When I was a vegetarian, I craved red meat like nobody’s business. Meatloaf was a particularly intense craving, so I was ecstatic to learn that a local vegetarian restaurant named Ananda Fuara serves a delicious veggie version known as Neatloaf. It’s delicious on a sandwich or served blue plate style with mashed potatoes and gravy. The moment I tasted this, I knew I had to recreate it at home, a task made much easier after a Google search yielded a bootleg recipe that’s pretty darn close to the restaurant version. (I can’t find the original link, but this is the recipe as I found it a few years back.) Even though I’m back to my meat-eating ways, I still whip this up from time to time as a tasty alternative to my usual loaf. Try it, and if you visit San Francisco, we’ll dine at Ananda Fuara to sample the real deal!

Neatloaf

For the loaf:
1/4 c vegetable oil, divided
1/3 c chopped onion
1 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic, about 2 – 3 cloves
4 eggs
2/3 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/3 lb lowfat ricotta
1/3 lb firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled to resemble ground beef
1/2 c cooked brown rice
1/2 tsp each of dried basil and oregano
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
4 c Special K or similar flake cereal, crumbled with your hands to break up large flakes

For the sauce:
1/2 c ketchup
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 c molasses or brown sugar
2 – 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
pinch of cayenne, to taste

Preheat oven to 300. Saute the onions and garlic in approx. 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then add all remaining ingredients except the cereal. When combined, add the cereal, using your hands or a wooden spoon to break up any large chunks and form a cohesive mix. Put into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray and bake 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan and heating over medium low. Stir until smooth and combined. Remove the loaf after one hour, pour sauce over the top and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.