Once cooked, remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Resting is crucial—it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping it moist and preventing it from falling apart when sliced.
11. Serve and Enjoy!
Slice your meatloaf and serve it hot. Pair with creamy mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a fresh side salad for a complete meal.
Prep Time, Cooking Time, and Calories
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories per Serving: Approximately 400 kcal
Tips for the Perfect Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
1. Choose the Right Ground Beef
Using 80% lean ground beef is a sweet spot for flavor and moisture. Leaner beef can dry out, while fattier beef can cause excess grease.
2. Sauté Your Veggies
Softening onions and peppers beforehand releases sweetness and mellows their sharpness, preventing raw veggie bites in your meatloaf.
3. Don’t Overmix
Mix ingredients gently but thoroughly. Overworking the meat leads to a tough, dense loaf rather than a tender, juicy one.
4. Rest the Meatloaf
Letting the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes after baking helps retain juices and makes slicing cleaner and easier.
5. Customize Your Glaze
Adjust the glaze sweetness and tang to taste—add a bit more mustard for tang or brown sugar for sweetness.
6. Add Heat If You Like
For spice lovers, adding diced jalapeños to the vegetable mix or cayenne pepper to the meat mixture adds a kick.
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