Leigh makes the best meatloaf I have ever had. There I said it. Now that this has been declared I can say with a clear conscience that her meatloaf recipe SMOKED is even better. Of course, I think everything is better smoked. No lie, this smoked meatloaf is amazing. The meatloaf itself is great on its own but when that smoke gets around the meat and gets in the glaze … well, it’s just all the better. It’s just next level delicious. And the leftovers! There is always a smoked meatloaf sandwich the next day. Take a couple of slices of that meatloaf, a slice or two of American cheese (yes, American cheese!), and put it on some freshly baked sourdough and I am in heaven. Literally, my stomach just growled while writing this. Honestly, if you’re gonna run the smoker for something else (ribs, butt, etc) and you have a little room, why not make this up and eat it later? If you’ve never tried this you have to give it a whirl. You won’t be sorry. It’s simple to throw together and tastes so great!
How To Smoke A Meatloaf
I have seen many recipes that call for all of this, and all of that. Bacon, green peppers, jalapenos, etc. This is a very basic meatloaf in that I want to taste the meat, the smoke, and the sweet glaze without being distracted by other overpowering flavors. Feel free to add any of your favorite ingredients.
Ingredients Needed For Smoked Meatloaf
You probably already have all these ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Meatloaf
Meatloaf Sauce (glaze)
Assembling the Meatloaf
This comes together so easily. It’s just a matter of combining all the ingredients in a bowl and combining well. But first things first. Go ahead and grate the onion, you will need 1/2 cup. Also, beat the two eggs and set aside. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with plastic wrap and set that aside as well. In a large bowl combine all the meatloaf ingredients. Using your hands (recommend some neoprene gloves), mix together the ingredients until well combined. You don’t want to overmix the mixture as this can make the meatloaf tough. Put the meatloaf mixture into the plastic lined loaf pan and press down well. Doing this will insure that there are no holes in the meatloaf. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before placing on the smoker. While the meatloaf is in the fridge, take a baking sheet and line with aluminum foil. Place a baking rack onto the foil lined baking pan and set aside. To make the sauce combine the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Place it in the fridge as well until needed. If you want to use your own favorite barbecue sauce, you can skip this step.
Smoking The Meatloaf
Get the smoker to 275 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from the refrigerator. Turn the meatloaf over onto the baking rack and remove the plastic wrap. Place the meatloaf into the smoker. Smoke the meatloaf with your preferred wood choice (we use a mix of hickory and cherry) until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reads 120 degrees Fahrenheit, close to 2 hours. Add wood chips as needed to keep the smoke rolling during the entire cooking process. Apply the glaze all around the meatloaf. Put it on top and all the sides. Apply it rather thinly as we will continue to apply the glaze every 30 minutes until the meatloaf is done (160 – 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature). This will give you a nice sticky sweet tangy glaze instead of it being loose and runny. Continue to apply the glaze until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, about another hour to an hour and a half. Please note that the cooking time may differ depending on the type of smoker (pellet grill, electric smoker, kettle, etc.) you are using. Remove from the smoker and allow to set up for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then start slicing!
Serving The Meatloaf
What’s to say? slice it up and eat it as you like. The meatloaf will amaze you. You get a great smoke ring all around, you get the pop of that glaze, and the meatloaf itself is delicious! It’s all just a perfect bite, one right after the other. And as I said .. the leftovers are just as good. Slice it up, get a nice sear on each side and make yourself a super delicious meatloaf sandwich. I also like cutting it into pieces and eating it in a wrap with some cheddar cheese. I have been told before that I’d put just about anything in a tortilla. True. Smoked comfort food! When I am done writing this up this is exactly what I am going to do. Click here to see Leigh’s classic meatloaf ( Easy Meatloaf Recipe ).
Conclusion
This is a great recipe to try this technique out. You could use your favorite bbq sauce instead of the sauce mentioned here to give it a more robust barbeque experience. As previously mentioned, you can also add your favorite ingredients in the mix as well. Bell peppers would be a good addition. For the meatloaf itself you can also use 1lb of ground pork and 1lb of ground beef vs the 2 lbs of ground beef. This will net you a softer texture to the meatloaf. We have tried this but it just didn’t taste like the meatloaf we wanted.
Questions
Can I prepare this smoked meatloaf beforehand?Yes, prepare the meatloaf and keep in the fridge wrapped with plastic wrap until ready to smoke. Can I freeze leftover smoked meatloaf?Yes. Allow to cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place into an airtight container and put it in the freezer. To recook, allow to thaw completely then heat in the oven or slice and sear it over high heat in a pan.
Other Awesome Smoked Recipes
Double Bone-In Smoked Pork ChopsSmoked Turkey Breast Easy And PerfectPork Butt Burnt Ends RecipeSmoked Pork Shoulder RecipeHow To Smoke A Whole Chicken
