Meatloaf mix, shaped into thin, bun-sized, oval patties, pan fried and sandwiched on soft hoagie rolls with caramelized onions, cheese and a meatloaf glaze, wrapped and baked in the oven.

Meatloaf Patty Melt

I am a big fan of meatloaf. Always have been! And let's be frank here, who out there doesn't enjoy that next day meatloaf sandwich?

For some folks it's actually their favorite part of meatloaf, so how about we make those sandwiches intentionally to begin with, and,.. how about we make them in the form of one of my favorite hamburger sandwiches? A patty melt, yes indeed!

Southern style meatloaf, made with ground chuck, onion and sweet bell pepper and finished with a brown sugar ketchup glaze.

Southern Style Meatloaf

Y'all know how I feel about labeling recipes or methods of cooking as "real" or "true" southern. I say it all the time, and I will continue to repeat it as long as I'm sharing recipes here on my blog, that one true reality I have learned in my now about ten years of blogging about southern food, is that there is no one "true" way to cook in the south. We sometimes do things a little bit different from one another.

Truth is, it rests solely on two things - the region of the south where you grew up, and what your own mama did - which was likely drawn from what her mama did. I am a southerner, born and raised, but my way of cooking some things may be potentially far different from your way, though it doesn't make either one better or more "right" than the other.

Mini meatloaves, made in a jumbo, Texas style muffin pan, with lean ground beef, the Trinity of veggies, barbecue sauce, topped with a brown sugar, Creole mustard barbecue glaze and finished with cheese.

BBQ Cheeseburger Meatloaf Minis

It's Fall y'all!! Well, so says the calendar at least finally, and while we've only "cooled" down a bit here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast - mid to high 80s and some cooler nighttime temperatures - I'll take it!! This weekend was absolutely beautiful and I enjoyed it in its entirety.

A moist meatloaf made with lean ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic and a crushed saltine binder, cooked in the crockpot. Served here with everyday mashed potatoes and southern green beans.

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

I know that meatloaf sometimes gets a bad rap, mostly I would venture a guess that it's usually based on past experiences with a dry, tasteless glob of meat. On the other hand, I actually enjoy a good meatloaf myself and so does The Cajun, and I've discovered that using the slow cooker is a great way to get it on the table, when you've got a busy day.

My meatloaf standard, made with lean ground beef and finely minced veggies. Shown here baked with slices of bacon on top and finished with a brown sugar and tomato glaze.

Basic Meatloaf

Don't believe for a minute that you cannot get a nice, moist meatloaf without using a high fat ground beef like ground chuck. I love ground chuck and use it exclusively in burgers for the best flavor, or in recipes where I can drain off the excess fat. Is it tasty and delicious? Yes! But, let's face it.

A tender and tasty meatloaf, infused with the trinity, seared and cooked in a roux based tomato gravy.

Creole Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy

When you have a little time on your hands, I hope that you'll give this meatloaf a try. It's totally different from your mama's meatloaf, has a few additional steps you don't usually see in a meatloaf, so it takes a bit of time to come together, but it is so worth it! Searing creates a tender and juicy meatloaf that thanks to our famous Trinity, just full of flavor. Don't expect any leftovers to last long.