Smoked Meatloaf
Easily made on a pellet grill with a combination of beef and pork, this smoked meatloaf is cooked at a low temperature to infuse it with extra smoky flavor and glazed. This meatloaf recipe is a sweet, barbecue twist on the classic comfort food that will take you from summer to fall, and can be served with a multitude of sides.
Why you’ll love this smoked meatloaf
- It’s unexpected. Whether you’re serving it for a backyard barbecue or any festive summer occasion – this smoked meatloaf will steal the show.
- Make it ahead of time – I love that this meatloaf can be prepped in advance, and doesn’t take super long on the grill (don’t worry, there’s still plenty of great smoke flavor).
- It goes with anything. Obviously traditional barbecue sides will work great here, like this vegan cornbread or shrimp macaroni salad. You can also serve more traditional meatloaf sides like dairy free mashed potatoes or this roasted broccoli. It really works with so many things.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Ground beef – I like to go for a leaner ground beef to pair with the fattier ground pork.
- Ground pork – Make sure it’s unseasoned and not sausage pork.
- Eggs – If you don’t want to use eggs, add little more breadcrumb and a little bit of water/dairy free milk.
- Panko breadcrumbs – These give the meatloaf a nice texture, but you can swap them out with what works for you.
- Barbecue sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce or make your own.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make this smoked meatloaf recipe
Preheat your smoker. You want your smoker to be at 225˚F for this, and you will need
Mix the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, barbecue sauce, ketchup and seasonings. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix the ingredients.
Once your mixture is uniform, divide it in half and shape it into 2 loaves and place it onto a grill topper to transfer to your smoker. (I like to set mine over a baking sheet so I don’t get any drips).
Just like when you’re making meatballs, you want to be careful not to over mix or you’ll end up with tough meatloaf.
Smoke the meatloaf. When your smoker is at 225 ˚F, place the meatloaf on the grates and smoke meatloaf for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
When meatloaf reaches 140˚F, brush on a coat of glaze.
At 165˚F, remove the meatloaf from the smoker and glaze with additional sauce. Then, let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Everything you need to know about smoked meatloaf
Meatloaf needs to have enough binding agents to hold it together, in this case the eggs and breadcrumbs. If you follow the recipe as directed, your meatloaf shouldn’t fall apart. Allowing the meatloaf to rest after removing it from the smoker will also help prevent it from crumbling.
For this recipe, we will be using a smoker or grill, which allows for the juices to drip away from the meatloaf so you will not need to drain it. Using a lean ground beef (we normally use 93/7) helps reduce the amount of moisture in the meatloaf – this also helps the meatloaf not shrink as much.
The ground beef in this recipe needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160˚F. Most meatloafs are done cooking in less than an hour in an oven, this will cook for much longer at a lower temperature. To be sure it’s cooked to a safe temperature, I recommend using a meat thermometer to check it’s temperature before serving.
More meatloaf recipe you will love
Other smoker recipes you should try
*dairy free tip: are your breadcrumbs safe?
Store-bought breadcrumbs are a common source of hidden dairy. It’s less common in panko breadcrumbs, but it’s still possible. Make sure to read your labels carefully before using any ingredients than may contain milk.
Smoked Meatloaf
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Easily made on a pellet grill with a combination of beef and pork, this smoked meatloaf is cooked at a low temperature to infuse it with extra smoky flavor and glazed. This meatloaf recipe is a sweet, barbecue twist on the classic comfort food that will take you from summer to fall, and can be served with a multitude of sides.
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
-
2 pounds lean ground beef (94/6)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 225˚F.
- In a large bowl, gently mix all ingredients together until combined. Divide mixture in half and form into two loaves. Place on a grill topper before transferring to the smoker.
- Smoke for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. After about 2 hours (at about 140˚F), brush glaze onto the meatloaf.
- When internal temperature reaches 165˚F, glaze again and remove meatloaf from the smoker.
- Allow meatloaf to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 291
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 481.2 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26.5 g
- Cholesterol: 103.5 mg
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