Friday, November 30, 2012

Crock Pot Zesty BBQ Meatloaf


Oh, meatloaf. The ultimate in family dinner foods...

Well, it didn't used to be around here but I think this one might become a trend. This meatloaf is actually the first 'traditional' meatloaf I've ever made. I used to make these Mini Mexican Meatloaves, but I never did the standard loaf one. I hated it when I was little so the idea just didn't appeal to me. My husband was the same way.

Since I started this whole blog thing though, I've tried to become more open to new (and some old) ideas. I've been doing the crock pot series so I thought I'd make up my own version of the 'classic' to see if it was what I remembered. Well, it wasn't. This one was actually good. So good, in fact, that my husband said I could make it every week for the rest of his life and he'd be happy. Let me tell you, for the seven and a half years we've been married, I've wanted nothing more than to make up a meal/food/dish/whatever that would make this non-foodie man I married say, "Wow." He just doesn't care much about food in general and I made it my goal a long time ago to make something that would spark his interest enough to evoke emotion about the food he was eating. It took awhile, but I finally did it with this meatloaf. Yes, he's 'liked' food I've made (if he didn't, he wouldn't eat it), but I wanted him to love it. And, boy did he love this meatloaf!

I did change up the traditional style a little by adding a few more veggies to the meat mixture, but all it does is add more flavor. Nothing wrong with that, right? I also threw in a jalapeno for a little kick but you could easily leave it out for a more mild version.

And in case you're wondering, this one makes a mean meatloaf sandwich...

Crock Pot Zesty BBQ Meatloaf


Ingredients
 1 1/2 lb ground beef (chuck or round)
 1 lb ground pork
 1 TB oil
 1/2 c finely diced onion
 1 carrot, shredded
 1 jalapeno, finely diced (seeds and membranes removed for less heat if desired)
 1/2 c finely diced green pepper
 2 eggs, beaten
 1/4 c milk
 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 1/3 c breadcrumbs
 1/4 tsp sage
 1/2 tsp salt
 1/2 tsp pepper
 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Sauce for top:
 1/2 c ketchup
 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 2 TB brown sugar
 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions
1. Saute onion, carrot and green pepper in 1 TB oil just until soft. Don't overcook. Set aside and allow to cool while you prepare the rest.
2. In a large bowl, combine all except onion mixture and sauce ingredients. Mix well. When onion mixture is cool, add to bowl and stir well, making sure everything is thoroughly incorporated.
3. Cut piece of foil into a long rectangle. Make it long enough for the length of the meatloaf and about 8" more than the width. Place this in the crock pot as a liner. Form meat into loaf in crock pot on top of foil. (The foil will help take the loaf out without it falling apart on you.) Cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is no longer pink. (Internal temp of 160°.)
4. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over meatloaf during last 15-20 minutes of cooking on high.
5. Remove the loaf from the crock pot using the foil to lift it out and transfer to a plate or cutting board. Let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing.

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