Low Sodium Southwest Turkey Crockpot Meatloaf

I don’t know about you,but as soon as the leaves change, and the temps start to drop, I break out the Crockpot. It is the go to kitchen appliance of the fall and winter season. Here in Minnesota it’s an essential tool to keep casseroles and hot-dishes hot when you are heading to a pot luck or social. You betcha! I use mine for soups, roasts, briskets, stews, chilies, and today’s recipe, my Low Sodium Southwest Turkey Crockpot Meatloaf.

Making Meatloaf In A Slow Cooker

You can do meatloaf in a regular loaf pan in the oven, but I am often looking for the convenience of slow cooking, especially on chilly days. It also makes the house smell wonderful as well. This meatloaf features ground turkey. you could go with pork or beef, but as always we are looking for the lowest possible sodium content in our base protein.

Sadly, like many other meats purchased at mass supermarkets, turkey is heavily processed, and is often soaked in saltwater prior to freezing for transport to the store. You are going to have to check labels and look for the sodium counts. Even though the turkey may be organic or have other “healthy” descriptors we must always check the labels for sodium.

Where Sodium Is Hidden In Meatloaf

The other place sodium can hide is in the beans. If you have the time, it is well worth it to start with dried beans and prepare them yourself to control the sodium. If you are a busy parent like me, then you will probably use a canned version of the beans. Make sure that you look for no salt added beans.

Also, don’t choose beans with added “flavor” like lime juice, or cilantro, the flavorings are usually artificial and higher in sodium. make sure to rinse the beans thoroughly to remove any liquid they may have added to the beans for preservative purposes. Make sure you also are finding chili powder that is salt free as well.

A Slow Cooker Cooking Tip

I have a trick when I make a meatloaf in my crockpot, I use tinfoil, folded in strips and set crosswise in the crockpot to make a sort of “basket” to lift the meatloaf neatly out of the crock pot when it is ready to serve. I have a photo here to show how I do it. Now, let’s get those crockpots fired up. Let me know how you like the low sodium southwest turkey meatloaf!

The Recipe For Low Sodium Turkey Crockpot Meatloaf