Smoked Meatloaf
102 Comments
Posted: 04/11/23
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A delicious smoked meatloaf recipe that is full of smoked flavor and cheese! This Traeger Meatloaf is smoked one your pellet grill and is amazing. It’s a fun twist on your traditional meatloaf recipe that will have you always making yours on your electric smoker!
Once you try this you’ll never want it any other way. So simple and delicious. It’s a great easy, beginner recipe, but yet so flavorful that even the seasoned pro will love this!
This epic Smoked Meatloaf recipe is going to turn all of your meatloaf haters into fans! Perfect smoked with a smoke ring, bursting with flavor and so juicy!
That’s right, you’ll all be asking for seconds of this easy smoker recipe when you try it. Your kids are going to even devour it!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe!
- It’s so easy! That’s right, just prep it, place it on the smoker and let it do it’s magic.
- It’s better than Grandmas meatloaf! Hear me out, meatloaf gets a bad rap sometimes, but this is juicy, full of flavor and pretty epic. Give it a try!
- A hit with the family! Perfectly seasoned, it’s got cheese mixed it and it’s so amazing.
Ingredients for Smoked Meatloaf Recipe
- Meat – We mix together ground beef, ground pork and bacon.
- Binder – To hold this meatloaf together we use eggs, Italian Panko bread crumbs and milk.
- Seasonings – A perfect blend of seasoned salt, garlic powder and black pepper to make it mouthwatering.
- Yellow onion – You can use frozen diced onions to save on time.
- Cheddar cheese – Grab a loaf and grate it yourself and it will melt better.
How to Make Smoked Meatloaf
- Preheat the smoker to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you load the wood chips into the hopper.
- Combine all ingredients, do not over-mix or your meatloaf will become tough. Shape into a loaf.
- Place on smoker and smoke for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove from smoker, slice and enjoy!
Famous Meatloaf Smoke Ring!
As we cut into this fabulous Traeger Meatloaf my husband was telling me all about how it had a “smoke ring”.
A smoke ring is considered the “hallmark” of great barbecue and is a region of pink colored meat in the outermost 8-10 millimeters of smoked meats. You can see it in the picture below!
Can I prep it ahead of time?
You can make this ahead by prepping the meatloaf up to a day before you smoke it. Simply mix the ingredients together, shape into the meatloaf and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to smoke.
Another option is to freeze the meatloaf before smoking. Make the meatloaf and freeze it raw. Then thaw when you’re ready to cook the loaf overnight in the refrigerator.
What Wood Chips Should I use when Smoking Meatloaf?
Sweet fruit woods like apple or cherry are great wood chips for this recipe, but you could also use a competition blend. The fruit flavors pair nicely with the meat.
How Should I store Leftover Meatloaf?
REFRIGERATOR: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
FREEZER: If you think it will be a while before it’s eaten, just wrap it in aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer safe resealable bag and store it in the freezer. Well wrapped and sealed, it will last up to three months. When you’re ready for a great meatloaf sandwich, you know what to do! Thaw frozen leftovers overnight in the refrigerator and enjoy.
How to Reheat Leftovers
Using the oven to reheat the leftovers helps keep it moist and evenly heated. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your leftover meatloaf in an oven safe dish and add a bit of water or broth so it stays moist.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil, place it in the preheated oven and reheat until the center is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The time it will take to reheat depends on how many leftovers you have.
Pro Tips
- If your meatloaf is falling apart there isn’t enough binder i.e. bread crumbs or eggs.
- We recommend using a wireless thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of your meatloaf easily.
- Any easy trick is to buy a rack to place the meatloaf on and then you can place that rack right onto the smoker rack. This means you don’t have to transfer your meatloaf onto the smoker rack and there’s less chance of it falling apart. Then just remove the rack and bring inside to slice when it’s done! You can use any pan you have it just has to have holes on the bottom, like a grill pan, so the smoke can circulate all around the meatloaf.
- Exact cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your meatloaf and smokers. Always cook to temperature, not exact time.
Serving Suggestions
- Cheesy Grilled Garlic Bread
- Grilled Corn Salad
- Best Ever Potato Salad
- Smoked Baked Potatoes
- Smoked Strawberry Crisp
We now you have the BEST Meatloaf recipe you will ever make and the key is making it on your pellet grill to get the flavor.
I mean, it has a “smoke ring” obviously it’s a winner!
More Meatloaf Inspired Recipes!
- Mouthwatering Mini Smoked Meatloaf are topped with a delicious sauce and a favorite!
- More cheese, topped with BBQ sauce, can you go wrong with this Cheesy BBQ Smoked Meatloaf??
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Shop Now!Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling so I can see your grilling masterpieces!
Smoked Meatloaf
This Traeger Meatloaf is smoked on your electric smoker and full of flavor! It’s takes your favorite traditional meatloaf recipe with cheese and gives it an amazing flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 8 strips bacon cooked and chopped
- 2 eggs whisked
- ½ cup Italian Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare electric smoker to 325 degrees F. according to manufacturer’s directions.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Shape into a loaf.
- Place on smoker and smoke until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F which should take about 1 ½ hours.
- Remove from smoker, slice and serve immediately.
Tips
Expert Tips
- We recommend using a wireless thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of your meatloaf easily.
- Any easy trick is to buy a rack to place the meatloaf on and then you can place that rack right onto the smoker rack. This means you don’t have to transfer your meatloaf onto the smoker rack and there’s less chance of it falling apart. Then just remove the rack and bring inside to slice when it’s done! You can use any pan you have it just has to have holes on the bottom, like a grill pan, so the smoke can circulate all around the meatloaf.
- Exact cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your meatloaf and smokers. Always cook to temperature, not exact time.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 709kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 13g (4%), Protein: 40g (80%), Fat: 53g (82%), Saturated Fat: 24g (150%), Cholesterol: 199mg (66%), Sodium: 1582mg (69%), Potassium: 497mg (14%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Vitamin A: 670IU (13%), Vitamin C: 1.5mg (2%), Calcium: 490mg (49%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
John says
Great recipe, made it 5or 6 times on pitboss pellet smoker. Cook it at 250, till internal temp at 165.
Courtney says
Great to hear! Thanks for letting us know! 🙂
JimV says
This tasted quite good. The only downside was at the recommended temperature the shredded cheese melted out of the meatloaf. I think the next time I make it I will try a lower temperature and see how that work. The seasoning for this is nicely balanced.
Courtney says
Thanks for giving it a try! So glad you enjoyed it.
Gina B. says
This was so stinkin’ GOOD!
I was stupid and used 93/7 ground beef thinking that the bacon, pork and the cheese would provide enough fat, but I was wrong. The taste was amazing, but it was a bit dry. Other recipes call for 80/20, or at least 83/17 ground beef, so we’ll use that instead, next time, and there will be a next time.
We did use minced garlic instead of garlic powder. and made our own seasoned salt using Penzey’s Shallot-Pepper Seasoning and added turmeric and smoked paprika. We also added a little horseradish and Worcestershire sauce, as well as a dollop of tomato paste (from my MIL’s favorite recipe).
We had leftover meatloaf sandwiches tonight with mayo and mustard and they were PERFECT!
Courtney says
YUM!! 😍 We are so happy to hear you loved it!!
Jason says
This was delicious!! Ate the leftovers everyday tell it was gone. And it seemed to taste even better after reheating it
the Evinks says
I think it tastes better the next day too. The smoke flavor really comes out! Thanks for rating and commenting on it!
Chris says
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it’s so good! Really the only two things I do differently is I smoke it at 225f for two hours then ramp it up to 325f. I also use venison instead of pork.
Courtney says
That’s great to know for venison! Thanks for sharing your tip!
aaron says
They remove all negative comments folks which is why their rating is so high. There’s so much wrong with this “smoked meatloaf” recipe.
It’s all about money with these people right? Kill the negative comments so your rating LOOKS good.
So now I have to contact the owner of this site and tell them this is not a legit rating. Yes I took screenshots of my posted comments before they were removed.
the Evinks says
I have one, and only one question, have you tried the recipe? It sounds to me in your previous comment which I publish below mine here, that you did NOT try the recipe, you were making quick assumptions. In reply to your comment, we have an electric smoker it goes to 325F. Our meatloaf was not thin it was rather thick, but how can you truly decipher that in a photo? You were concluding this. Now if you’d like to come back and re-rate this recipe after you actually make it go ahead and do that. And if you are an expert in this area, I’d love to see the recipe you have published online after you tested it multiple times, photographed it, researched the recipe etc.
“So many things wrong with this recipe. First, 325f is way too hot for smoking anything, which is why yours finished in 1.5hrs. Do electric smokers even go that high? I’d be shocked if they do.
The correct temp would be 225-235f for 3-4 hours. Also this one is a weird shape and looks thin, most people are going to mold their meatloaf with a loaf pan (make sure you grease it first or you won’t be able to get it back out for smoking) so theirs is going to be 3″ thick or more if you round off the top like I do. The highest you ever want to go for smoking is 275f and I only recommend that for large half chickens because you don’t want to over smoke chicken and they will cook faster, 2.5-3hrs.”
Marcus says
Skill issue.
Don says
Excellent
Courtney says
So great to hear you enjoyed it!
Beth L Buysse says
what if my electric smoker doesn’t go as high as 350?
Courtney says
What temp does it go to?
Ken says
This was a Amazing Recipe simple and it works! This is going to become a staple in the house especially when I’d better than my mom’s recipe 🤣🤣
Courtney says
It always hard to be “mom’s recipe” but we are so glad you enjoyed it!!
Jounayet Rahman says
This was fantastic!!
Randy says
The Best Meatloaf ever ! Have made it about 4 or 5 times. Once I make it, it goes in about 2 days in a house of 3. Going to make two next time.
Courtney says
So great to hear this is a favorite in your household! It makes awesome leftovers too!
Steve says
I like to crush up Ritz crackers instead of Panko crumbs. It adds a little buttery flavor.
Courtney says
Yum! What a great substitution. Thanks for commenting and rating this recipe!
Mark says
amazing ! great flavor, however wife thought it was a little too salty. I didn’t think so at all. Will definitely make again.
Gretchen says
So good, the bacon kept it moist. I did use three pounds of ground meat because I have a large family so that did raise the smoke time by about an hour.
the Evinks says
Great to hear Gretchen! Thanks so much for commenting and rating this recipe!
Brad says
I followed the recipe proportions exactly, however, I made the following 3 substitutions:
1. 1 lb of dry aged 45 day prime rib, ground up: (instead of the ground beef).
2. 1 lb lean ground beef instead of the pork.
3. 2 year old aged cheddar.
The recipe was to die for. I would suggest that you could slice it and serve it as a hamburger. It would be the best burger that you have ever had. Also, super as meatloaf; really no need for ketchup. I cooked it with 2 meat thermometers. 1 end was 172F, the other was 162F. Both ends were excellent.
This piece of meat needs no extra fat when using ground up 45 day aged prime rib + lean ground + bacon + 2 year old cheddar.
the Evinks says
Sounds like amazing ways to change this recipe up. My mouth is watering!!
Don Sturtz says
This is the best meatloaf recipe I ever tried. Have made it many times, even the kids ask for it.
the Evinks says
Wonderful to hear Don! Thanks for rating and commenting on this recipe!
Sheila says
Milk? I’m about to make this recipe and it shows the milk ingredient crossed off? Wasn’t sure why? I’m using the milk so hope it turns out ok lol! I’ll let you know! It looks delicious!
the Evinks says
I’m guessing the square box got checked next to it in the recipe card accidentally which crosses it out. It’s meant to be used as a shopping list.
Emily says
So excited to try this? Milk or no milk? Just want to clarify. Thanks!
the Evinks says
Use milk!
Jenn says
We started making this meatloaf last year and it’s a family favorite for sure!
the Evinks says
That’s awesome to hear Jenn!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Virtuelle says
By far the best meatloaf!
the Evinks says
Wonderful to hear!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Ctymse says
Very tasty! We will definitely make this again!
the Evinks says
Wonderful to hear!! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
Laurie Yammine says
This was awesome. My smoker only goes to 275 so I just cooked it a bit longer. Doubled the recipe and made two loaves and also cooked it in a 9×13 pan for easy cleanup.
the Evinks says
Great idea for easy clean up! So glad you enjoyed these Laurie. Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!