How Long to Cook Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe

Easy Crockpot meatloaf recipe with glaze is an easy meal. Make as a slow cooker turkey meatloaf or as a ground beef loaf with a barbecue sauce on top. We love this for dinner. If you are looking for easy Crockpot recipes to add to your meal planning this is a cheap one pot meal.

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

We make a lot of dishes with ground beef in our Crock. If I want it cooked in a solid loaf to slice I make this. If I am all about comfort food and a cheesy meal I will make our Crockpot Hamburger Casserole that is like absolutely to die for, but not quite as healthy as this one here. 😉

I am sure you have made this the old fashioned way, in a loaf pan baked in the oven. Of course that is delish but it is time to think outside of the box y’all! We have cooked it in a muffin tin and even made Bundt Pan Meatloaf one time which was surprisingly a hit with lots of crispy edges all the way around.

Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf

If you wanted a lower fat version like our Instant Pot Turkey Meatloaf you could use other meats. I will say that less fat means it won’t bind together as well, and the flavor isn’t as rich. Adding a sauce on top will help the taste for sure but beef is by far our favorite.

• 2 lbs. ground beef, ground turkey, a mix of ground sausage and beef or you can even make our Ground Venison Meatloaf and cook it this way
• 1 c bread crumbs
• Milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c onions diced
• Bell pepper diced
• Celery diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 c ketchup
• Worchestershire sauce
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper

Meatloaf Glaze is a must in our household. We don’t skip it but you could if you wanted lower calories or didn’t have these items on hand. This also serves as a great spread if you are making meatloaf sandwiches after you store leftovers and reheat next day. You need; 1 tbsp dijon mustard, ketchup and brown sugar.

Slow Cooked Meatloaf

If you wanted to make this a 2 Pound Spicy Meatloaf you would just want to add some red pepper flakes to the sauce on top. You could add some into the meatloaf mixture too if you wanted a lot of heat but I think the topping is enough. In the event you only wanted to use 1 pound of meat the timing would need to be cut.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, minced garlic, 1/4 cup ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
• Use your hands or a spoon to mix meatloaf ingredients thoroughly. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can make the meatloaf tough.
• Shape the meat mixture into a loaf shape that will fit comfortably in your slow cooker.
• You can either place it directly in the slow cooker or line the slow cooker with aluminum foil for easier removal later.
• In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup of ketchup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard to create the glaze. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
  • or you can opt to make Brown Gravy for Meatloaf instead
• Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 4-6 hours.
• The exact cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker, so it’s best to check the internal temperature of the meatloaf.
  • It should reach at least 160°F inside before serving.

If you did want the top to crisp, transfer to a baking sheet on broil for a few minutes. Once the meatloaf is cooked through, carefully remove it and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

How Long to Cook Meatloaf in a Slow Cooker

How Long to Cook Meatloaf depends on a few different variables. If you wanted to throw it under the broiler at the end to get a bit of a crisp on top then I would cook to 155 degrees since it will get more heat later on. The thickness will vary between you and I making it which will tweak it slightly but about 5 hours is usually about right.

If you needed to make a Meatloaf Without Breadcrumbs you would follow these directions instead. It wouldn’t really change the cook time but it uses rolled oats as the binder instead if you prefer that method.

In the event that you love different……our Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf will fit that bill. Yes you use that boxed mix that has a ton of flavor as your binder and it’s out of this world.