Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Here’s a solid “copy‑of‑the” Cracker Barrel Old Country Store style meatloaf recipe you can make at home — comfort food at its best.

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Ingredients (makes ~8 servings)

For the meatloaf:

• ~2 lb (≈ 900 g) ground beef (choose an 80/20 blend for good moisture) Together as Family+2CopyKat Recipes+2

• ~1 medium yellow onion, finely diced CopyKat Recipes+1

• ~½ medium green bell pepper, finely diced Punchfork+1

• ~1½ sleeves of butter‑type crackers (like Ritz), crushed — about 1 to 1¼ cups crumbs Punchfork

• ~¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (some versions include cheese) Upstate Ramblings

• 2‑3 large eggs, lightly beaten Punchfork+1

• ~½ cup whole milk Punchfork+1

• Salt & black pepper to taste (e.g., 1 tsp salt, ¼‑½ tsp pepper) Upstate Ramblings

For the glaze/topping:

• ~½ to ¾ cup ketchup Upstate Ramblings+1

• ~2‑3 Tbsp brown sugar (or more depending on version) carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com

• ~1‑1½ tsp yellow mustard Upstate Ramblings+1

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (≈ 175°C). CopyKat Recipes+1

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, diced onion, diced bell pepper, crushed crackers, shredded cheese, eggs, milk, salt & pepper. Mix gently until just combined. (Don’t over‑mix, to keep it moist.)

3. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place it in a loaf pan or on a lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for ~30 minutes. carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com+1

5. While baking, prepare the glaze by mixing ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.

6. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, spread the glaze evenly over the top.

7. Return to oven and bake another ~30‑40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches ~160°F (71°C). Let it rest ~5‑10 minutes before slicing. CopyKat Recipes

8. Slice and serve. This goes great with mashed potatoes, green beans, or any classic sides.

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Tips & Variations

• Use beef with enough fat (80/20) to keep the loaf juicy. Leaner beef may dry out. Together as Family

• Crushing the crackers gives a buttery, light binder instead of heavy breadcrumbs.

• The glaze is key: it gives that sweet‑tangy finish many people associate with the Cracker Barrel version.

• If you like, you can sauté onion & pepper briefly before adding to the mixture for deeper flavor.

• Leftovers? Wrap tightly and refrigerate up to ~4 days, or freeze slices for longer storage. CopyKat Recipes

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If you like, I can pull up a printable recipe card (with metric & US measurements) and also a lighter/healthier version of this meatloaf (e.g., turkey‑based or lower fat) for you. Would you like that?