Smoked Meatloaf

5 from 1 vote

Smoked Meatloaf is loaded up with ground beef, onions, garlic, Panko, BBQ sauce and seasonings to create a moist and dynamic smoked meatloaf recipe! All the classic meatloaf flavors you love, hit with an essence of smoke.

Servings slices

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Equipment

Smoker or Charcoal Grill

Ingredients

2 lbs Ground Beef, 85% or 90% Lean
¾ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
⅓ cup Milk
½ cup Finely Diced Onion
2 large Eggs, Beaten
3 tbsp BBQ Sauce + More For Glazing
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1½ tsp Italian Seasoning
1½ tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Paprika
¼ tsp Black pepper

Instructions

Prep The Smoker (Pellet or Electric):

Load the smoker with the pellet of your choice and pre-heat to 225°F.

Prep The Smoker (Gas or Charcoal):

Gas Grill- turn half the burners (on the same side of the grill) to medium-low while the other burners are off. Play around with the burner settings to get it as close to 225°F as possible. Use a smoker box to add chips/chunks of wood for smoking.
Charcoal- Pre-heat the coals until just ashed over. Dump them on the far side (either left or right) of your grill and open the vents to 25%. Play around with the vent opening to get it as close to 225°F as possible. Create smoke by placing wood chunks directly on the pre-heated coals, right before cooking.

MAKE THE MEATLOAF

Add the milk and Panko to a small bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes so the Panko can absorb the milk. Add to the ground beef
In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients, including the Panko mixture, and mix with your hands to combine. Don't over-mix. Just mix until everything is incorporated.
Use your hands to form a meatloaf shape patty or use a bread loaf pan to shape. Make sure to firmly pack the meatloaf patty so it doesn't crumble when cooked. Transfer the patty to a grill-friendly tray (or a baking sheet placed over a cast iron pan).
Transfer the meatloaf to the smoker and close the lid. After 30 minutes, glaze with BBQ sauce. Repeat every 30 minutes for a nice BBQ glaze. Cook until the internal temperature is 160°F.
Remove the meatloaf to a cutting board and add one last later of BBQ. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Note 1 - The total cook time varies, depending on the shape of your meatloaf patty and the weather conditions when cooking. Plan on smoking for 3- 3.5 hours. If your meatloaf patty is on the thinner side, it will take less time to cook than a traditionally thick meatloaf shape.

Calories: 354kcal

Cost: $15

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Grill Recipes, Ground Beef Recipes, Smoker Recipes

Beef: Ground Beef

Smoke: Cherry

Grill: Smoker

Fuel: Charcoal

Nutrition