Crockpot Meatloaf

This easy Crockpot Meatloaf always cooks up super tender and moist, with a delicious tomato-based glaze made with three ingredients. The smell alone will send you over the top and leave you longing for more. It is always a welcome sight on the dinner table and one of my family’s favorites.

I love to serve this classic comfort food with twice-baked potatoes and Southern green beans. Or enjoy the leftovers as a delightfully tasty Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich with chipotle ketchup.

It cooks slowly and easily, making the meatloaf extra tender. The delectable smell emanating from the slow cooker is reason enough to make it. Be sure not to overcook it, though. Cook the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Ingredient Notes with Substitutions

See the complete ingredients on the recipe card below.

• Barbecue Sauce: Use your favorite brand of barbecue sauce. One of ours is any Kinder’s.
• Ground Beef: Substitute ground turkey or ground pork for the ground beef.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: I like panko breadcrumbs, but you can substitute regular breadcrumbs too.
• Marjoram: It is sweeter, less pungent, and less earthy than oregano. If needed, you can substitute oregano in equal parts.

How to Make Crockpot Meatloaf

This is a summary; for the full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Stir the ketchup, barbecue sauce, and honey together and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, parsley, crushed red pepper, marjoram, dried thyme, salt, and pepper by hand.
3. Place a large piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of the crock pot.
4. Add the meatloaf mixture and shape it into a loaf. Brush on a layer of the glaze, cover the crockpot, and turn to low.
5. Cook on low for 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
6. Baste it several times with sauce, then carefully lift the meatloaf out of the crockpot using aluminum foil.
7. Place it on a baking sheet, then use the foil to drain off the excess moisture and fat.
8. If desired, place under the broiler for a few minutes to seal the glaze and lightly brown the top.

Cook’s Tips

• Store the glaze covered in the refrigerator when not in use.
• Avoid tasting the glaze after brushing it on the meatloaf to avoid any cross-contamination with raw meat.
• Do not use lean ground beef for meatloaf. I always use 80/20 (80% lean, 20% fat). Fat adds flavor and keeps it tender and moist.
• Always mix and form the meatloaf gently.
• I recommend using the low setting on your crockpot for a more tender, slow-cooked loaf.
• Use a meat thermometer to check when the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees. Do not overcook.
• Broilers are very unpredictable, especially in older ovens. Stay close by and monitor the progress.
• Let the meatloaf cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. 

Ways to Cook this Meatloaf Recipe

• Baked: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
• Smoked: Omit the milk and substitute ½ cup ketchup in the meatloaf mix. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees for indirect smoking. Place meatloaf on an aluminum foil-covered baking sheet. Cover the loaf with half the glaze and place it in the smoker. Brush with the remaining glaze after about 2 hours of smoking. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
• Muffin Tin: Omit the milk and substitute ½ cup ketchup in the meatloaf mix. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add mixture to ungreased muffin tins and brush with half the glaze. Bake for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Brush with the remaining glaze halfway through the baking time.

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