How To Make Meatloaf In A Slow Cooker Or Instant Pot
Meatloaf is one of my all time favorite foods. It’s really easy to make and you’d be hard pressed to find a meal that’s more satisfying or comforting. Meatloaf is quick to prepare, but can take up to an hour to cook in the oven. Luckily, there is a way to prepare this meal during the day and have it ready right when you get home from work. If you have a slow cooker or Instant Pot, you can cook your meatloaf while you’re away from home and simply finish it with a few minutes under the broiler right before serving. This recipe uses bison and wild boar, which is my favorite combination for meatloaf. The fattier wild boar meat balances well with the lean bison and the flavors of both are excellent.
Also Read: Recipe: New Mexican Chili Con Carne With Ground Bison
Wild Boar With Outstanding Flavor
People are always asking us about the best ways to eat wild boar. If you’re used to eating pork, the nutty and delicious flavor of wild boar meat will blow your mind. It’s so much more flavorful and satisfying than conventional pork. Customers tell us all the time that they find themselves unable to go back to eating conventional pork after trying out this meat.
In addition to the unbeatable flavor, wild boar meat offers a multitude of health benefits that blow pork out of the water. It’s lower in total fat and calories while offering more omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. We are big believers in the advantages of eating wild meat and the nutritional profile of wild boar is a perfect example of this. Our wild boar meat is unparalleled in flavor because we work with small-scale, species specific master butchers who know how to properly process this meat.
Also Read: Homemade Chinese Dumplings Made With Ground Wild Boar
Free Range Bison, Raised The Way Nature Intended
Our bison live free range on 20,000 beautiful acres here in New Mexico, or roam freely on our carefully selected partner ranches. They are pasture raised and never administered any amount of hormones, steroids or antibiotics. These are powerful, strong animals that live essentially wild with minimal handling. There were once 60 million bison roaming North America, and we hope to see their numbers increase back to even 1 million during our lifetime. By increasing the demand for ethically sourced bison meat, we can help to bolster their population. The more people that want to purchase this nourishing and nutrient dense meat, the more farmers will be encouraged to raise bison. This directly helps to increase the number of herds which assists in providing genetic diversity for the population.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 pound ground wild boar
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 12 oz herbed bread crumbs
- Approximately 1.5 cups milk, as needed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup barbecue sauce of choice
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (optional, depending on the sweetness of your ketchup and barbecue sauce)
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Also Read: How To Make Homemade Machaca, Flavorful Shredded Meat
Instructions:
- Use heavy duty aluminum foil to line the crock pot, making sure it also covers two of the sides (this will allow you to remove the whole thing later and finish under the broiler). Lightly grease the foil.
- Before cooking, let the ground meat sit out at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a little bison tallow or avocado oil. Add in the diced onion and cook slowly, stirring often, until it becomes golden brown, tender and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground bison, ground wild boar, bread crumbs, cooked onion, milk, eggs, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, mix together just until combined. Take care not to overmix as it can cause the meat to become tough.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, barbecue sauce, coconut sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and add it into the prepared crock pot. Pour ½ of the ketchup mixture over top. Put the lid on the crock pot and cook on low for approximately 6 hours. If using an Instant Pot, turn on the Slow Cook function and plan for a slightly longer cooking time (check after 6.5 hours).
- When the meatloaf has finished cooking, remove it from the pot using the foil liner. Put it on a baking sheet, then pour more of the sauce over top. Reserve some of the sauce for serving.
- Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until it’s hot with a sticky, shiny appearance.
- Serve and enjoy with more sauce over the top as desired.
Also Read: Wild Boar Tenderloin With Herbs & Stone Ground Mustard
Don’t Hesitate To Reach Out To Our Team
At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.
Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar, pork and seafood.
