Smoked Meatloaf (How to Smoke Meatloaf)

2 slices of meatloaf on a plate with a scoop of mashed potatoes, all topped with chopped green onions for garnish.

5 stars (4 reviews)

Smoked Meatloaf (How to Smoke Meatloaf)

This easy and fun twist on the best classic meatloaf recipe makes deliciously tender, moist, and deeply flavorful smoked meatloaves with barbecue sauce on your Traeger grill.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 50

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: servings (2 loaves)

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef (or half beef and half ground turkey)
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
4-6 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (or GF breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup BBQ sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roughly chop the fresh produce. It does not need to be chopped well because it's going in the food processor.
Set out a food processor. Add the chopped bell peppers, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and jalapeno to the food processor. Pulse until the vegetables are ground into a fine mince.
Preheat an electric smoker to 200°F, and add your favorite wood pellets.
Set out a large mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, pureed veggies, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, and all spices to the bowl. Mix by hand until very smooth.
Divide the meat mixture into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a loaf about 10 X 4 inches, and place both loaves on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides of the meatloaves with barbecue sauce.
Smoke the meatloaves for 30 minutes. Leave the loaves in the smoker, and raise the temperature to 350°F. Once the temperature reaches 350, set a timer for 1 hour. Continue to cook the meatloaves until the timer goes off. The internal temperature reads 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Let the loaves rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meatloaf and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can freeze meatloaf either raw or after smoking. If raw, leave off the barbecue sauce. Raw or cooked, wrap the whole shaped loaf in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake per recipe instructions, or smoke from frozen for 90 minutes up to 2 hours.

Nutrition