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Lighter Crockpot Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze

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This lighter crockpot meatloaf with brown sugar glaze is juicy, tender, and packed with sweet-savory flavor. The slow cooker does all the work, making it a perfect weeknight dinner that even meatloaf skeptics will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs lean ground turkey (93/7) or lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely grated
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Prep the slow cooker. Line your slow cooker with a large piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving enough overhang on the sides to use as handles later.
  2. Grate the onion. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the onion directly into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix the meatloaf ingredients. Add the ground turkey, rolled oats, beaten eggs, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and ketchup to the bowl with the grated onion. Use your hands to gently mix everything together until just combined.
  4. Shape the loaf. Transfer the meat mixture to the parchment-lined slow cooker. Shape it into a loaf shape, about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.
  5. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the packed brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder until smooth.
  6. Glaze the meatloaf. Pour about half of the glaze over the top of the shaped meatloaf, spreading it evenly with the back of a spoon. Reserve the remaining glaze for later.
  7. Cook low and slow. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
  8. Apply the final glaze. About 30 minutes before the meatloaf is done, carefully open the lid and brush or spoon the remaining glaze over the top. Replace the lid and let it finish cooking.
  9. Check for doneness. The meatloaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for turkey or 160°F for beef.
  10. Rest and serve. Use the parchment sling to lift the meatloaf out of the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

For the juiciest meatloaf, avoid extra-lean ground turkey (99/1). The 93/7 blend gives you the perfect balance of moisture and leanness. If you’re gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot meatloaf, lighter meatloaf, brown sugar glaze, slow cooker meatloaf, ground turkey meatloaf, healthy meatloaf, easy meatloaf

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