Our Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe Just For You

Chef’s Special: Scrumptious Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe

Prep time: 15minutes Cooking time: 1hour 15minutes

Serving: 7-8 people

(Nutrition: calories-334kcal, carbs-18g, protein- 35g, fat-16g, saturated fat- 7g, cholesterol- 128mg, fiber- 1g, vitamin A- 3371U, vitamin C- 9mg, calcium- 162mg, iron- 4mg)

Good ole, comfort food that you can make at home for your family or invite friends round.

So, my friends, here we bring you one of the easiest and delicious recipes, Cracker Barrel Meatloaf. The recipe is a combination of bell peppers, onions, cheddar cheese, and buttery Ritz crackers along with mouthwatering topping.

Hands down this recipe is definitely worth your time, effort, and patience. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s start making this old-fashioned, lip-smacking comfort food.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of lean ground beef

½ tbsp. of canola oil or olive oil

¼ tsp. of black pepper

Half cup of milk

2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. of salt or as per taste

1 onion, finely diced

Bell peppers, finely diced

1 ½ cup of Ritz crackers, crushed

Cheddar cheese or any other, grated

Meatloaf Topping:

Half cup of ketchup

2tbsp of brown sugar

1tsbp of mustard

Instructions

1. Before actually starting the recipe of Cracker Barrel Meatloaf, preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Take a small pan and add finely diced onion, bell peppers, or any other veggies of your choice into canola or olive oil. Leave them for about 5 minutes.

This will soften the veggies and will add texture and flavor to meatloaf. (The step is completely optional and can be skipped)

3. For Ritz crackers to appear more like bread crumbs, crush them very well. This can be done with bare hands or some kitchen tools like a food processor that can be used to do so.
4. Now, take a large bowl and mix lightly bitten 2-3 eggs, Ritz crackers, onion, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, black pepper, salt, and milk.
5. The next step is to add ground beef into the mixture. Mix the beef well but don’t overdo it. The tenderness of the beef should be maintained while doing this.
6. Form the beef into a loaf. Make sure that it is done with gentle hands and is a loose loaf.
7. Place the meatloaf into a slightly large pan. The pan will not allow the loaf to fall apart. On the other hand, cooking the meatloaf in a pan will take less time.
8. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile prepare the topping for meatloaf. Add ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard together and keep it aside.
10. After 30 minutes, bring out the pan from the oven and apply topping onto the meatloaf.
11. Bake the meatloaf for the next 30 to 40 minutes. Also, make sure that the oven is 160 degrees Fahrenheit prior to slicing in.
12. Take out the meatloaf after 30 to 40 minutes and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
13. Serve it hot.

Pro tips

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf is, no doubt, very simple to make but it can get tricky. Before anything, there are questions that pop up when one actually gets down in the making.

Let’s just get over with these questions once and for all!

• Choose the right meat

This is where most people go wrong. Selecting the right kind of meat is the key. Try using 3 combination meat like ground meat, pork, and veal. It should be in equal parts.

Many grocery shops have this combination of meat prepared in for cooking meatloaf and meatballs. The combination of meat makes the recipe scrumptious and flavorsome.

• Why my meatloaf is always dry?

The meatloaf often gets dry while making. This is because of using leaner meat. The ultimate ratio for meat is 80/20. By following this, the meat will be moist, juicy, and tender.

Also, the milk in the ingredients provides the meatloaf extra moisture.

• Over mixing can kill the taste

This is a very common mistake done by many. Mixing way too much than required can make your meatloaf tough and dry.

You can achieve juicy meatloaf only when you do not over mix the ingredients.

On the other hand, avoid packing together the meat when forming a loaf. It is better when loose.

• Be aware of temperatures

Not being aware of the right temperature can create a disastrous meatloaf. It is better to cook the meatloaf at the right temperature to avoid it being dry.

The ideal temperature for its cooking is 325 F to 350 F. At this temperature meatloaf will cook moist and juicy.

• Veggies are imperative

Not many people know this but adding veggies in this recipe can turn a bland meatloaf into one of the delightful ones. They not only add more flavors to the meatloaf but adds textures and moistness. You can also make the addition of carrots and other veggies.

You can also add veggies of your own choice to make it more flavorful.

What to present alongside Cracker Barrel Meatloaf?

To make Cracker Barrel Meatloaf recipe your family’s favorite, here are some side dishes which can be served along with it.

• Mashed Potatoes – the classic combination of mashed potatoes and delectable meatloaf never goes out of anyone’s mind. Smoothly mashed potatoes are full of starch and the flavor of meatloaf.
• Fried Okra – nothing goes wrong with crunchy fried okra. This might not be the healthiest option but taste overrules everything. Try this as a side dish and you won’t regret it.
• Mac & Cheese – you cannot forget about this, not even in your wildest dreams. The combination of mac & cheese with juicy meatloaf is made in heaven.
• Roasted Carrots – missing on healthy options? Try roasted carrots. They will not only add color on your plate but will taste mind-blowing.
• Biscuits – to complete the meal and to make it a little simple but wholesome. Bread on the side is just perfect.

Final Thoughts

The recipe is not only meant to be your favorite but is a crowd-pleaser too. We are sure that this recipe will bombard flavors in your mouth. So, try this meatloaf recipe at home for you and your family and enjoy it. Read here if you want more ideas for sides for meatloaf!