Mid-week Pork Meatloaf

The slow cooker makes a great bain-marie (cooking in a dish over simmering water), as demonstrated by this tasty meatloaf. The addition of oats and grated carrots makes the meat go further, adds moistness and gives a great flavour.

Serves 2

30 ml/2 tbsp milk
2.5 ml/½ tsp Dijon mustard
15 g/½ oz/2 tbsp porridge oats
A little butter or oil for greasing
150 g/5 oz lean minced (ground) beef
150 g/5 oz lean minced pork
1 small onion, finely chopped, or 30 ml/2 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
1 carrot, coarsely grated, or 75 g/3 oz ready-grated carrots
2.5 ml/½ tsp dried mixed thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


  1. Blend together the milk and mustard in a mixing bowl, then sprinkle the oats over. Leave to soak for a few minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place an upturned saucer or metal pastry (paste) cutter in the base of the ceramic cooking pot and pour in about 2.5 cm/1 in of very hot (not boiling) water. Switch on the slow cooker to High.
  3. Grease a 13-15 cm/5-6 in round fixed-base cake tin or soufflé dish and line the base with baking parchment.
  4. Mix in the beef, pork, onion, garlic, carrot and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin or dish, levelling the top. Cover with lightly greased foil and place in the cooking pot on top of the saucer or pastry cutter. Pour in enough boiling water to come half-way up the side of the dish or tin.
  5. Cover with the lid and cook for 3-5 hours or until the meatloaf is firm and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out hot. Carefully remove from the pot and leave to stand for 5 minutes before turning out and cutting into four wedges.
  6. Place two wedges on a plate and leave to cool. Serve the remaining two wedges hot with creamed potatoes, a green vegetable and gravy.


Second serving
Either cover the cooled meatloaf and chill in the fridge for the following day, or freeze for up to a month. If frozen, allow the beef to defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a microwave or serve cold with a baked potato and a salad or coleslaw.