Italian Meatloaf
Serves 4 to 6
Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low or 2 to 3 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Slow-cooker meatloaf is often greasy and unappealing. To fix this, we started with
meatloaf mix combined with a panade, which stayed moist and flavorful—but it was also
mushy and greasy. To fix the mushy texture, we swapped the bread crumbs in the panade
for extra-crunchy panko. We liked the ease of pressing the loaf directly into the
slow cooker, but when we tried to pull it out, it fell apart. Our solution was a simple
aluminum foil sling. The sling also solved our grease problem: Once we had removed
the sling with the meatloaf, it was easy to skim the extra fat from the sauce. For
Italian flair, we added jarred marinara sauce and topped the loaf with a layer of
provolone cheese. Meatloaf mix is a prepackaged mix of ground beef, pork, and veal;
if it’s unavailable, use 1 pound each of ground pork and 85 percent lean ground beef.
You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
½ |
cup panko bread crumbs |
|
2½ |
cups jarred marinara sauce |
|
2 |
pounds meatloaf mix |
|
½ |
cup grated Parmesan cheese |
|
5 |
tablespoons chopped fresh basil |
|
1 |
large egg, lightly beaten |
|
1 |
teaspoon minced garlic |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
6 |
ounces sliced deli provolone cheese |
1. Fold sheet of aluminum foil into 12 by 9-inch sling. Mash panko and ½ cup marinara sauce to paste in medium bowl with fork. Gently mix in meatloaf mix, Parmesan, ¼ cup basil, egg, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper with hands until thoroughly combined. Shape mixture into 9 by 4-inch loaf across center of foil sling.
2. Add remaining 2 cups marinara sauce to slow cooker. Using sling, transfer meatloaf to slow cooker and nestle into sauce. Cover and cook until meatloaf is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.
3. Lay provolone on top of meatloaf, cover, and cook on high until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Using sling, transfer meatloaf to serving dish. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice meatloaf. Serve with sauce.