↑

The Magical Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Recipes

  • Recipe Box
  • Buy my Digital Cookbook
  • About me
  • Contact Me
  • Free Slow Cooker Newsletter

Home » Dinner » Bacon Barbecue Slow Cooker Meatloaf

Bacon Barbecue Slow Cooker Meatloaf

by Sarah Olson on June 16, 2019 | Updated August 6, 2020 31 Comments

5240shares
  • 3087
  • 2101
  • 52
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
collage of bacon barbecue meatloaf photos with text overlay that says: Slow Cooker Bacon Barbecue Meatloaf

Bacon Barbecue Slow Cooker Meatloaf has bacon and barbecue sauce inside and out!

meatloaf in a slow cooker with barbecue sauce over it and bacon

My mom made the best meatloaf in the oven, but did you know meatloaf is one of the BEST things to make in the slow cooker? Often meatloaf in the oven can get hard in spots. Not in the slow cooker. The meatloaf stays perfectly tender throughout.

I have a trusted meatloaf recipe that I follow as a base for this recipe. It’s my mom’s recipe that I converted to the slow cooker. Though that recipe uses ketchup and has bell pepper in it, the rest is the same. Why mess with perfection, well besides adding bacon and barbecue sauce.

ground beef, milk, bacon, salt, pepper, eggs, crackers onion, and barbecue sauce on a wooden table.

How to make Bacon Barbecue Meatloaf:

You will need these ingredients:

  • Eggs
  • White onion
  • Milk
  • Onion powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • Crushed saltine crackers
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Bacon
  • Ground Beef
cooked bacon barbecue meatloaf in a slow cooker.

Directions:

  1. Start by cooking your bacon in a skillet on the stove top. I slice the bacon before cooking, no crumbling required!
  2. In a large bowl add the eggs, onion, onion powder, salt, pepper, milk, barbecue sauce, bacon, and crushed saltine crackers. After those ingredients are mixed, add in the ground beef and mix until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat.
  3. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the meat to the slow cooker and shape it into a loaf form.
  4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 5 hours on low.
  5. Drain off any grease that is sitting around the meat. Drizzle over more barbecue sauce and add more bacon on top.
  6. Slice and serve, enjoy!
sliced meatloaf on a plate with bacon and barbecue sauce.

What kind of barbecue sauce?

I always say use your favorite sauce but don’t forget that there are so many flavors of barbecue sauce that can really make this recipe out of this world! Try one of these flavors on this meatloaf:

  • Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
  • Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
  • Tangy Carolina Barbecue Sauce
  • Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

Other Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipes:

  • Slow Cooker Turkey Stove-Top Stuffing Meatloaf
  • Slow Cooker Homestyle Meatloaf
  • Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Baked Potatoes
  • Slow Cooker Lipton Onion Meatloaf
  • Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers
  • Slow Cooker Hobo Dinner (with meatloaf)

Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

sliced meatloaf with bacon and barbecue sauce on top.

Slow Cooker Bacon Barbecue Meatloaf

5 from 2 votes
Tender meatloaf that is stepped up a notch with added bacon and barbecue sauce.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon barbecue meatloaf
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 681kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker Size: 5-quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce I use sweet baby rays
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 25 saltine crackers
  • 2 lbs. 10% fat ground beef
  • 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
  • For the topping:
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • In a large bowl, add the eggs, onion, barbecue sauce, milk, onion powder, salt and pepper. Crush the saltine crackers in next and mix this all together with clean hands.
  • Add the ground beef and cooked bacon in next, only mixing everything until it just comes together.
  • Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray, and shape the meat in to loaf shape in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, without opening the lid while during the cooking time. Scoop out the fat and discard. Top the meatloaf with the additional barbecue sauce and crumbled bacon.
  • Serve and Enjoy.

How to Video:

Recipe Notes:

If you want to use something other than saltines (such as oatmeal or panko bread crumbs), the amount of saltines crushed is 1 1/4 cups.

Nutrition:

Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 1220mg | Potassium: 796mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg
Made this recipe?I want to see your photos! Tag me on Instagram @themagicalslowcooker

5240shares
  • 3087
  • 2101
  • 52

FREE EMAIL SERIESSLOW COOKER SECRETS

Get Sarah's tricks to delicious and hands-free cooking!

    Filed Under: Beef, Dinner, Meatloaf Tagged With: bacon, barbecue, beef, comfort food, Crock pot, crockpot, dinner, meatloaf, slow cooker

    Comments

    1. Maria says

      February 13, 2020 at 6:54 am

      How many hours would you put it if you put it in high instead of low?

      Reply
      • Sarah {The Magical Slow Cooker} says

        February 13, 2020 at 10:28 am

        I have not tested meatloaf on high, sorry! Soups, stews, roasts are easily adapted but things like meatloaf and casseroles need to be tested.

        Reply
    2. Luri says

      June 26, 2019 at 10:20 am

      Help. Is it really 16 pieces of bacon – 8 for the meatloaf and 8 for the topping? The video does not show putting in that much bacon and it seems like a lot of bacon.

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 26, 2019 at 2:11 pm

        I use a pound of bacon total, it really shrinks after cooking. You don’t need to add so much if you don’t have it or don’t want to.

        Reply
    3. George says

      June 16, 2019 at 2:16 pm

      I prefer to not use non-stick spray. Is butter an alternative or?

      thanks

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 16, 2019 at 2:22 pm

        You can go without, or put oil on a paper towel and rub onto the slow cooker.

        Reply
    4. Jenifer Prentice-Alexsandre says

      June 26, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      If you wanted to use Panko bread crumbs, rather than Saltines, how much would you use?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 27, 2017 at 8:45 am

        I just measured out the saltines when they are crushed. It’s 1 1/4 cups. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    5. Beverly says

      June 26, 2017 at 3:57 pm

      If I try this with ground turkey is it the same cooking instructions and time?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 26, 2017 at 9:38 pm

        May need a bit more crackers if the turkey is really moist. But other than that should do fine.

        Reply
    6. judyhrob says

      June 26, 2017 at 3:09 pm

      Could I use oatmeal instead of saltine crackers? If so, how much would you recommend?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 27, 2017 at 8:46 am

        Start with 1 1/4 cups, you can always add a bit more if your meatloaf is too moist to shape into a loaf.

        Reply
    7. Paul Taylor says

      August 20, 2016 at 10:04 am

      New single father of 3 thanks you.

      Reply
    8. shane says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:19 am

      Is there a way to prepare withought eggs?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        December 21, 2015 at 10:34 am

        Try using a little more milk instead. I haven’t tried this before, but it may work!

        Reply
    9. Jennifer Mason says

      November 19, 2015 at 3:34 am

      I made this recipe on Hallowwen and it was a crowd favorite! I came back to use the recipe again, but the only ingredients showing are eggs. Help!

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        November 19, 2015 at 5:40 am

        I got it fixed! Something was wrong on the back end here, thank fully I still could see the recipe on my end and fix it so you can see it now! Have a great day.

        Reply
        • Jennifer Mason says

          November 19, 2015 at 11:20 am

          Thank you so much! My boys will be very happy when dinner is served. 😉

          Reply
    10. Paula Andrus says

      August 2, 2015 at 5:02 am

      says 8 cooked an crumbled pieces

      Reply
    11. Denise Dunleavy-McPartland says

      July 2, 2015 at 6:27 am

      Will have to try this recipe!!!! Last time I made a meatloaf in my crockpot – I put some slices of bread in the bottom – put the meatloaf on top. All the grease went into the bread so I could just take the meatloaf out and throw out the bread.

      Reply
      • Patricia Willis Kendall says

        August 19, 2016 at 10:14 am

        About how many slices of bread did you use to soak up the grease?

        Reply
    12. Jessica Haynes says

      June 4, 2015 at 3:39 pm

      Would this work in 1.5 qt slow cooker?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        June 4, 2015 at 5:17 pm

        I’m not sure. I do have a 1.5 quart slow cooker, and I’m thinking you may want to cut the recipe in half.

        Reply
    13. myrna says

      May 6, 2015 at 5:59 am

      I really enjoy this kind of foods,,,,,

      Reply
    14. reneeskitchenadventures says

      April 28, 2015 at 6:52 am

      I love meatloaf and admit, have never made one in the slow cooker. OK…that needs to change because this looks amazing!!

      Reply
    15. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says

      April 28, 2015 at 6:49 am

      This looks like the perfect meatloaf recipe!! Great post, Sarah!

      Reply
    16. Shelby says

      April 27, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      I’m making this tomorrow! I was thinking about meatloaf and took some beef out of the freezer and then I saw this post! Looks amazing and can’t wait to try it. 🙂

      Reply
    17. Food Done Light (@FoodDoneLight) says

      April 27, 2015 at 4:40 pm

      I have yet to make meatloaf in the slow cooker. I have got to put this on the weekly menu.

      Reply
    18. Rachael says

      April 27, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      yum! this sounds great! I love everything bacon!

      Reply
    19. realfoodbydad says

      April 27, 2015 at 12:35 pm

      I can’t wait to make this for my boys, they will love it.

      Reply
    20. Sarah Olson says

      April 27, 2015 at 8:07 am

      Thanks Cathy I will fix that right now. The recipe box kept resetting this morn, I had to retype everything about 10 times. I missed that. It’s 8 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon that you put inside, then at the end you top the meatloaf with 8 more slices of cooked and crumbled bacon. I cook this in the microwave. 🙂

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published.

    Recipe Rating




    Photo of Sarah Olson holding a slow cooker

    Hello! I'm Sarah

    Welcome to The Magical Slow Cooker. Let me help you find recipes for your slow cooker that you'll enjoy!

    Best Chili Recipes

    vegetarian chili in slow cooker uncooked with wooden spoon in it.

    Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

    close up of prime rib chili in slow cooker

    Slow Cooker Prime Rib Chili

    Slow Cooker Hot Chili

    close up of white chicken chili in slow cooker with wooden spoon in it. Fritos on side.

    Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

    beef chili in slow cooker with cornbread and oyster crackers on the side.

    Chuck Wagon Chili

    pumpkin chili with meat and beans. Cornbread, cheese and onions on the side.

    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

    Magical Cooker logo

    FREE EMAIL SERIESSLOW COOKER SECRETS

    Get Sarah's tricks to delicious and hands-free cooking!

      Most Popular Recipes

      close up of enchilada casserole

      Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

      close up photo of chicken, potatoes and green beans in slow cooker

      Seasoned Chicken, Potatoes and Green beans

      shredded creamy chicken with bacon and cheese on top.

      Slow Cooker Crack Chicken

      close up of pasta, chicken and cheese in slow cooker

      Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta

      cooked salisbury steaks in gravy in slow cooker

      Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

      Close up of chicken and gravy in a slow cooker.

      Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

      Featured on:

      Featured in BuzzFeed, The Kitchen, Popsugar, 12 Tomatoes, yummly, Today, and Country Living

      FREE EMAIL SERIESSLOW COOKER SECRETS

        Privacy Policy  Nutritional Disclosure

        The Magical Slow Cooker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
        Copyright ©2021, The Magical Slow Cooker. All Rights Reserved.
        Design by Pixel Me Designs