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small oval beef meatloaves with red mustard-ketchup tops, tiny green pepper pieces and melted cheddar visible at their browned edges on a plain rimmed baking pan, with no side dishes or garnish
Andre Lewis

Cracker Barrel-Style Meatloaf

Buttery crackers, peppers and cheddar give these small loaves the familiar homestyle combination people want from a Cracker Barrel-style dinner. This is an original home adaptation, with no claim to the restaurant's formula. Sautéing the vegetables removes the raw crunch, and small loaves expose more edges to the oven. A mustard-forward ketchup glaze goes on near the end. Crush the crackers finely enough that they bind the meat instead of leaving a salty broken cracker in the middle of a bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs 85% lean ground beef
  • 3/4 cup finely crushed buttery round crackers
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 2 tsp neutral oil
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp packed brown sugar

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment. Sauté bell pepper and onion in oil over medium heat for 6 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir cracker crumbs, milk and egg together and let stand for 5 minutes. Fold in beef, cheddar, cooled vegetables, salt and pepper.
  3. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-2-inch oval loaf about 1 1/2 inches thick, spaced apart on the pan.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir ketchup, mustard and brown sugar together and brush over the loaves.
  5. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes more until the centers reach 160°F. Rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Serve one mini loaf per portion, keeping any escaped melted cheese with its loaf.