March 13, 2024
Beef

Smoked Meatloaf Recipe

Discover the ultimate guide to creating the perfect smoked meatloaf, a mouthwatering twist on a classic favorite that combines juicy, flavorful meat with a smoky, irresistible crust. This easy-to-follow recipe not only walks you through the essential steps for achieving that deep, rich smoky flavor but also shares tips and tricks for making your smoked meatloaf the star of any meal.

Why This Recipe Works

Cozy Perfection: This smoked meatloaf recipe takes America’s favorite comfort food and turns it up a notch into a flavorful, smoked creation! Oven-baked meatloaf is already delicious, but when you take that same concept and put it into the smoker, you get a deeper flavor with a lovely crust that makes it even better!

Moist & Delicious: Because the meatloaf is slowly smoked, it stays perfectly moist and has so much flavor! This meatloaf recipe has plenty of ingredients that add moisture, too. To top it all off, we are going to glaze this smoked meatloaf with a homemade BBQ glaze for extra flavor!

Supplies Needed

Smoker
Mixing Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Ground Beef: Use a high quality ground beef, or sub out for ground pork for a different flavor! I used American Wagyu beef from Raikes Beef.
Saltine Crackers: Saltine crackers will help to keep the meatloaf together and also helps to keep the meat super moist!
Melted Butter: Melted butter adds a bit of extra flavor and fat.
Beef Broth: Broth will be added to the crushed saltines to moisten them before adding them to the meatloaf mixture!
Onion: For added aroma and flavor.
Eggs: Helps to keep the meat in “loaf” shape!
Ketchup: This classic meatloaf ingredient can go right into the mixture.
Worcestershire Sauce: For an added umami flavor!
Spices: Salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder are added to spice things up to perfection!
BBQ Glaze: For a homemade BBQ glaze, combine ketchup, brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, Tabasco sauce and salt.

How To Make Smoked Meatloaf

Mixing the Meat:

Preheat the Smoker: First, preheat the smoker to 300 F and set for indirect heat.
Smash Crackers: Add the crackers to a bag and crush them with your fingers. Then place them into a small bowl and add the melted butter and the beef broth. Mix well to soak them fully and set them aside.
Mix the Meat: To a larger mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onions, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, eggs and spices. Pour in the soaking cracker mixture. Gently mix the ground beef mixture together with your hands until fully combined. Do not over mix!

Mixing the ingredients to make the smoked meatloaf

Freezing:

Set Out Plastic Wrap: Place two slightly overlapping pieces of plastic wrap down onto the counter.
Shape Meatloaf: Pour the meatloaf mixture onto the center and form an even shaped log. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.
Freeze: Place the meatloaf into the freezer to set up for about 30 minutes. Do not skip this!

Smoking:

Transfer to Rack: Remove the meatloaf from the freezer and carefully take off the plastic wrap. Transfer the meatloaf onto a wire rack (this will make smoking mush easier).
Cook: Take the rack with the meatloaf and place it directly onto the grill grates. Close the lid and let the meatloaf smoke until it hits an internal temperature of 165 F (about 1 hour and 45 minutes).

Saucing & Serving:

Make the Sauce: While the meatloaf is smoking, combine the glaze ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes and remove it from the heat to cool.
Brush with Glaze: Brush the glaze onto the top of the meatloaf after it reaches 165 F and let it cook another 10-15 minutes or until it his 165 F internal.
Serve: Remove the meatloaf from the smoker and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the cooling rack and slicing and serving. Serve with extra glaze if desired.

Expert Tips

Don’t over mix the meat! The key to super tender, moist meatloaf is not over mixing the meat mixture before cooking! You need to incorporate the ingredients evenly but do so gently and quickly so as to not over mix.
Not sure if you meatloaf is cooked through? Use an meat thermometer to check that the middle of the meatloaf has hit 165 F inside!
To store, place any leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days!

What To Serve With Smoked Meatloaf

You can serve this smoked meatloaf recipe with so many different sides! I always love pairing it with creamy mashed potatoes and air fryer bacon wrapped asparagus. It goes with any form of potatoes though, including smoked potatoes and crispy roasted potatoes! For a fresh side dish, try it with a grilled broccoli salad or corn on the cob!

This smoked meatloaf with BBQ sauce can also be made into a delicious stacked sandwich with crispy onion rings!

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