My family asks for this every time we need a little comfort in winter. The smell of onions and beef filling the kitchen always reminds me of childhood gatherings at my grandmother’s house.
Ingredients
- Beef: choose fresh ground beef ideally with a bit of fat for moisture
- Breadcrumbs: use plain or Italian style for binding and soft texture
- Swiss cheese: provides gooey melt and nutty flavor select a block you can slice thickly
- Parmesan cheese: offers salty richness go for freshly grated if possible
- Milk: moistens the loaf and helps everything stick together
- Eggs: hold the loaf together for a perfect slice
- Worcestershire sauce: deepens meat flavor and adds a hint of umami
- Salt and pepper: basic but essential to bring all the flavors out
- Onions: choose large yellow onions with tight skins for best caramelizing
- Butter: brings out sweetness in the onions use real butter for richness
- Broth: beef or chicken works both add moisture and savory depth to the onions
Instructions
- Prep the Beefloaf:
- Combine ground beef breadcrumbs Parmesan cheese milk eggs Worcestershire sauce salt and pepper in a large bowl Mix gently until just combined to keep the loaf tender and juicy
- Shape and Place in Crockpot:
- Shape the mixture into a loaf that will fit well in your slow cooker Try not to compress it too much to keep it light
- Caramelize the Onions:
- Slice onions thin Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat Add onions and cook low and slow about twenty minutes stirring every few minutes until golden soft and deeply fragrant This is where the savory sweetness develops
- Add Broth to Onions:
- Pour broth into the caramelized onions stirring to deglaze the pan Let it simmer a minute allowing onions to soak up the broth and any browned bits on the pan
- Top Beefloaf with Onions:
- Spoon the onion and broth mixture evenly over the shaped beefloaf Arrange so every slice will get some of that sweet onion flavor
- Slow Cook:
- Set your crockpot to low Cover and cook for six to eight hours or until the beefloaf is cooked through and firm to the touch The juices should run clear
- Finish with Cheese:
- About ten minutes before serving layer Swiss cheese slices over the top Cover again so the cheese melts into gooey perfection
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Carefully lift or slice the beefloaf and serve topped with extra onions and melted Swiss cheese If you want an even cheesier finish slide it under the broiler for a minute just before serving
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