Unbelievably Juicy Keto Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe – Easy, Flavor-Packed & Perfect Every Time!

Have you ever made keto meatloaf in a slow cooker? If not, you're in for a treat! This keto crockpot meatloaf recipe is the ultimate way to enjoy this classic comfort food while staying true to your low-carb lifestyle. Super juicy and flavorful, it comes out perfectly every time. And making it in your crockpot means clean up is a snap.

Introduction

This article will guide you through creating a mouthwatering keto meatloaf in your slow cooker. We'll explore the benefits of using a crockpot, the key ingredients for a keto-friendly version, and provide step-by-step instructions to ensure a tender, flavorful result. Whether you're a seasoned keto enthusiast or just starting your low-carb journey, this recipe is a must-try.

Why Cook Meatloaf in a Crockpot?

Cooking meatloaf in a slow cooker has several distinct advantages:

Moist and Tender: Slow cookers produce a gentle, moist heat, ensuring that your keto meatloaf doesn’t dry out.
Convenience: You can time your meal to be ready when you are. Simply program your crockpot for a delayed start, or let the finished meatloaf stay warm in the pot after cooking. Either way, it’s ready when you get home from work.
Easy Cleanup: Just pour out the juices and soak your crockpot insert in soapy water.
Hands-Off Cooking: The thought of throwing a bunch of ingredients into a slow cooker, setting the temperature and forgetting about it for hours is quite attractive, especially to those short on time.

Key Ingredients for Keto Meatloaf

To make a truly keto-friendly meatloaf, you'll need to make a few smart substitutions. Here's what you'll need:

Ground Meat: A combination of ground beef and ground pork is ideal. Opting for all beef, even the fattiest type, will cause the loaf to dry out faster even with a gravy. Try adding in some ground pork and/or veal.
Keto-Friendly Cracker Crumbs: The keto-friendly cracker crumbs from RealPhat Foods make the perfect filler for recipes like keto meatloaf. You will use pork rinds in replace of the crackers, oats or breadcrumbs you would normally use. That makes this a keto friendly recipe using the crushed pork rinds, since they are keto friendly.
Eggs: Meatloaf holds together best when you use eggs as the binder.
Onion and Garlic: These aromatics add depth of flavor to the meatloaf.
Italian Seasoning: This blend of herbs enhances the savory flavor of the meatloaf.
Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning.
Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce: I always use my easy Keto BBQ Sauce for this meatloaf. You can use store-bought sugar free bbq sauce, but many are made with aspartame or sucralose, which I find unpalatable. A few good choices are Yo Mama’s No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce and Keto Primo. For this recipe, you want to reach for a low carb marinara. You want to read the label to ensure there is no added sugar to the sauce. If you prefer you can use a straight pasta sauce if you prefer that over marinara.
Cheese: This recipe is basically using the grated Parmesan cheese as a substitute of the normal bread crumbs used in most meatloaf recipes.

Optional Add-Ins:

Fresh spinach leaves: Add a handful of finely chopped spinach to the low carb meatloaf mixture.
Mushrooms: Sautéed mushrooms add a delicious earthy flavor plus extra moisture to the meatloaf.
Jalapeños: For a spicy kick, add a finely chop jalapeño. If you want to make it a little less spicy, removed the seeds and pepper membrane before adding it.
Cheese: You can add so many different types of cheeses to this recipe to give it little pockets of cheesy goodness all throughout.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to make this amazing keto crockpot meatloaf:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, onion, cracker crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper. Add in the eggs and mix well with your hands until fully combined.
Prepare the slow cooker: Set a trivet into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.
Form the loaf: Take a large piece of tinfoil and poke a few holes in it with a kitchen skewer (this allows the fat and liquids to drain away from the meatloaf). Shape the mixture into a loaf roughly 5 x 9 inches on the foil.
Cook: Lift the foil by edges and place on the trivet, then place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Brush with sauce: In the last half hour of cooking, brush the top and sides with about 1/3 cup barbecue sauce.
Serve: Use two serving forks to lift the meatloaf out of the slow cooker and onto a serving platter.

Tips for the Perfect Keto Meatloaf

Preparing your crockpot: Placing a trivet in the slow cooker keeps the meatloaf off the bottom so that it cooks more evenly. It also allows some of the fat and juices to drain off. Poking holes in the foil also allows the fat and juices to fall to the bottom. Line the bowl of your slow cooker with foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. This step is actually not 100% necessary. I like to line the bowl with foil because it makes it very easy to lift the cooked meatloaf out of the slow cooker once it is done. You can just pull the foil straight up and the whole thing comes out cleanly.
Cook on low or high: Depending on when you need it, you can cook this meatloaf on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Because it contains ground pork, you want the loaf to reach at least 160ºF in the center.
Brush with sauce: I like to brush it with some sauce in the last half hour of cooking, so that it bakes on. Then I serve the rest at the table so that people can add more as they like.
Don’t Overmix: Never overmix your meatloaf. The most common culprit in dry meatloaf is working it too much before forming it.
Use a Meat Thermometer: You will need to use a meat thermometer and make sure it reads that it is 145 degrees or higher. That is a great way to gauge if the meat is fully cooked.

Serving Suggestions

Paired with some creamy mashed cauliflower, it’s a hearty and healthy comfort food meal. And slathering it in a little Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce doesn’t hurt either.

Consider these delicious keto-friendly side dishes:

Cheesy Cauliflower Mash | Mimics the style of mashed potatoes that is creamy, cheesy and such a comfort food.
Keto Fathead Rolls | If you want a bread-style option to pair next to it, try these rolls.
Roasted Turnips |Make a GREAT potato fake out Side! Radishes are a pretty hot little potato fake out ingredient right now, but what about the turnip? Ahhhh, you forgot about those right?

Storing and Reheating

Storing: Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Place your leftover meatloaf in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then after use your best judgment of the quality and if it is expired.
Freezing: You can also freeze the finished, cooked meatloaf. Wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn and freeze for up to two months. Sure, you are welcome to freeze your leftover meatloaf. Simply slice it up or leave whole and place in an airtight container or make single servings. Then store in the fridge for up to three months. When you are ready to eat, toss in the fridge the night before to allow it to thaw.
Reheating: Warm up your meatloaf in the microwave, slice and eat cold on a sandwich, or toss leftovers in the oven and wrap in foil and heat it up that way. Just make sure the meatloaf is covered in the oven so it doesn't dry out as you warm it up.

Nutritional Information

This keto meatloaf recipe has 4.4g of carbs and 1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.4g net carbs per serving. The fat content is not entirely accurate as a great deal of the fat cooks off and ends up in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Variations

Keto BBQ meatloaf: You can give this meatloaf a wonderful BBQ flavor by using this homemade BBQ Sauce instead of the ketchup.
Taco Meatloaf: Add the ground beef, egg, green chilis, taco seasoning, Rotel, red onion, pork rind crumbs and salt and pepper to taste to a mixing bowl. Form the mixture into a loaf shape in the bottom of a well greased Crockpot. Return the meatloaf to the Crockpot, and spread the salsa on top.
Crock-Pot Low Carb Meatloaf: This Crock-Pot Low Carb Meatloaf it’s cheesy, savory and gluten free too! A delicious, moist tasty meatloaf that’s easy to make and nutritious.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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