Smoked Meatloaf is classic beef meatloaf cooked low and slow on a smoker or pellet grill: 2 pounds of ground beef mixed with softened onion, milk-soaked bread crumbs, eggs and Worcestershire sauce, dusted with BBQ rub and brushed with a tangy tomato and BBQ sauce glaze while it smokes. It comes off the grill with a dark, sticky crust and a tender, juicy middle, and it serves 6.
How to make it: Heat the smoker to 250°F. Soften the onion, soak the crumbs in milk, then mix everything gently with the beef. Shape a loaf on a wire rack, sprinkle it with rub, and smoke it for about 3 to 4 hours, brushing on the glaze as it cooks, until a thermometer in the center reads 160°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Real smoke flavor: hours on the smoker give the loaf a smoky, deeply browned crust.
- A glaze that builds up: the sauce is brushed on in coats as the loaf smokes.
- Hands-off cooking: about 20 minutes of prep, then the smoker does the work.
- Great leftovers: cold slices make smoked meatloaf sandwiches the next day.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: Two pounds make one loaf. You can swap in some ground pork or breakfast sausage, or use ground elk or venison.
Onion: Half an onion, finely diced, about 1 cup. It is softened in olive oil first and cooled completely before it goes into the meat.
Bread crumbs and milk: Three-quarters of a cup of crumbs are stirred into 1 cup of milk to make a thick paste before they go into the meat.
Eggs, tomato paste and Worcestershire: Two beaten eggs go into the mix. One tablespoon of the tomato paste goes into the meat and the other into the glaze.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and parsley in the meat, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub on top.
The glaze: Half a cup of BBQ sauce stirred with tomato paste and a tablespoon of cider vinegar.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons parsley, dried or fresh
- 1 tablespoon BBQ rub (1 to 2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
How to Make Smoked Meatloaf
1. Heat the smoker. Preheat a smoker or pellet grill to 250°F.
2. Soften the onion. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. Soak the crumbs. In a small bowl, stir the milk and bread crumbs into a thick paste. Leave it 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk.
4. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooled onion, crumb paste, eggs, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste, salt and parsley. Mix quickly with your hands until combined, without overmixing.
5. Shape. Turn the mixture out onto a wire rack, shape it into a loaf and sprinkle the top with the BBQ rub.
6. Make the glaze. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, the BBQ sauce and the cider vinegar together.
7. Smoke. Smoke the meatloaf, brushing it with the glaze every 35 to 40 minutes, until the center reaches at least 160°F on a food thermometer, about 3 to 4 hours.
How Long to Smoke Meatloaf, and How to Know It’s Done
At 250°F, a 2-pound loaf takes about 3 to 4 hours. The clock only tells you when to start checking.
The thermometer tells you when it’s done. Push the probe into the center of the loaf, the thickest part, and take it off the smoker once it reads 160°F, the USDA safe temperature for ground beef.
You can run the smoker hotter if you want a milder smoke flavor or you don’t have 4 hours. On a pellet grill, a loaf this size can be done in about 2 hours, even at 225°F. Go by the thermometer, whatever the temperature.
The glaze goes on in thin coats, every 35 to 40 minutes. If you would rather glaze once, brush it on after about 2 hours or during the last 20 minutes, or spoon extra sauce over the slices at the table.
Smoke needs to reach every side. That is why the loaf sits on a wire rack, a cooling or roasting rack, or a grill basket with holes in the bottom, and not in a solid loaf pan. It smokes uncovered the whole time.
Tips for Success
Why is my smoked meatloaf tough?
It was mixed too long. Work the beef with the other ingredients just until they come together, then stop and shape it.
How do I keep the loaf in shape on the rack?
Pack the mix into a 9×5 loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, cover it and freeze it for at least 4 hours or overnight, then unwrap it and set it on the rack. Or chill the shaped loaf in the fridge for 20 minutes before it goes on the smoker.
Why is the rub not sticking?
Brush the loaf with a thin binder first: a little Worcestershire sauce or yellow mustard. Then shake on the rub.
Which wood should I use?
Hickory, oak and pecan are all good choices with beef. Maple and mesquite work too.
Variations
- Bacon weave: wrap the shaped loaf in a woven layer of bacon before it goes on the smoker.
- Cheese-stuffed: shape half the meat into a loaf, lay slices of pepper jack cheese on top, cover with the rest of the meat and press the edges to seal the cheese inside. The double-layer loaf takes about 4 hours at 225°F.
- Beef and pork: replace part of the beef with ground pork or breakfast sausage.
- Apple juice glaze: stir BBQ sauce with apple juice and brush it on during the last 20 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat slices to 165°F in the oven or microwave, covered so they stay moist.
What to Serve With It
Smoked meatloaf goes with mashed potatoes and coleslaw, and cold slices make great sandwiches. For more meatloaf, try old fashioned Momma’s meatloaf, Parmesan meatloaf or French onion meatloaf. For a hearty side, there are fried potatoes, onions and smoked Polish sausage, and for more slow-cooked beef, slow cooker onion beef brisket and slow cooker dark beer beef roast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to smoke a meatloaf?
About 3 to 4 hours at 250°F for a 2-pound loaf, and about 2 hours on a hotter smoker. It is done when the center reaches the safe temperature, not when the timer goes off.
Do you cover a meatloaf when you smoke it?
This recipe doesn’t. It smokes uncovered on a rack or grill basket so the smoke can reach the top and sides, and the glaze is brushed straight onto the meat.
How do I smoke a 2 lb meatloaf?
Exactly as this recipe does: 2 pounds of ground beef, shaped into one loaf on a wire rack and smoked at 250°F. Start checking the center with a thermometer at about 3 hours.
Should I let smoked meatloaf rest before slicing?
Yes. Give it 5 to 10 minutes off the smoker before you cut it.
Final Notes
Put the thermometer in early and let it guide you, and keep a little extra BBQ sauce for the table. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Smoked Meatloaf
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion finely diced, about 1 cup
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons parsley dried or fresh
- 1 tablespoon BBQ rub 1 to 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat a smoker or pellet grill to 250°F.
- Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- In a small bowl, stir the milk and bread crumbs into a thick paste. Leave it 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooled onion, crumb paste, eggs, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste, salt and parsley. Mix quickly until combined, without overmixing.
- Turn the mixture out onto a wire rack, shape it into a loaf and sprinkle the top with the BBQ rub.
- Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon tomato paste, the BBQ sauce and the cider vinegar together.
- Smoke the meatloaf, brushing it with the glaze every 35 to 40 minutes, until the center reaches at least 160°F on a food thermometer, about 3 to 4 hours.
