Smoked Meatloaf

Meatloaf is such a classic Sunday dinner – the tender, seasoned beef topped with a sticky glaze and served with delicious side dishes is hard for anyone to resist!

Smoking meatloaf permeates it with delectable, sweet, and smoky flavor, so you’ll never be bored! The smoker not only makes it flavorful, but it stays juicy, tender, and exceptionally delicious.

Instead of the usual ketchup glaze, I’m using sticky BBQ sauce to glaze the top of this meatloaf. The BBQ sauce not only slathers the top of the meatloaf, but I use it in the meatloaf seasoning to add extra moisture and make it extra flavorful!

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

• Simple. I look for any reason to fire up the smoker – it’s just so easy! Once you mix and shape the meatloaf, you just put it in the smoker for 3 hours. You can relax and let the smoker do the work for you.

• Special. Hear me out: not everyone considers meatloaf to be special, but this recipe really is. The smoker transforms the meatloaf into a mouthwatering main course.

• Favorite. Seasoned, smoked, and topped with a delicious BBQ glaze – there’s no way this meatloaf won’t become an instant family favorite.

🥘 Ingredients

This easy, smoked meatloaf is guaranteed to be crowd pleasing. Make sure to pick a BBQ sauce that you love so this dish is absolutely perfect.

• Lean Ground Beef – You can use regular ground beef, ground chuck, or ground sirloin, but make sure the meat is 85% lean, 15% fat so the meat stays juicy.
• Yellow Onion – I like yellow onion in this for its sweetness, but you can also use white onion too. Make sure the onion is minced or grated so it blends into the beef.
• Eggs – Eggs help to bind the meatloaf and give it structure. You can use whatever type of egg you have on hand!
• Minced Garlic – You can mince fresh garlic, use store-bought minced, or even use dried minced garlic that you re-hydrate in a little water.
• BBQ Sauce – You can use your favorite BBQ sauce, you can also try my honey BBQ sauce or my Hawaiian BBQ sauce for this recipe. (See Tips & Recipe Notes)
• Panko Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs also help to bind the meatloaf. Panko is made from crust-less bread, which renders it lighter in flavor and texture than traditional breadcrumbs. Don't have any? You can make your own Panko breadcrumbs at home.
• Cayenne Pepper – The cayenne gives the meatloaf a little bit of delicious heat. You can use more or less depending on your preference, or omit it entirely.
• Chili Powder – Chili powder adds a smoky richness that’s so good in this recipe!
• Salt & Pepper – This is the seasoning base for the meatloaf. You can also add more or less depending on your preference.

🔪 How To Smoke Meatloaf

Smoking the meatloaf really makes it incredible. Your smoker should be fully preheated before you put in the meatloaf.

1. Preheat the smoker. Load the wood chips or pellets (see tips & recipe notes for more on wood chips) in the smoker and preheat it to 275°F (135°C) according to the manufacturer instructions.
2. Prep the veggies. Mince or grate enough yellow onion to make ½ cup and, if using fresh, mince enough garlic to make 1 tablespoon. Set aside.
3. Mix the meatloaf. In a large bowl, combine 2 lbs. of lean ground beef, ½ cup of minced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 eggs, ½ cup of Panko breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup of BBQ sauce, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, and 1 teaspoon each of salt & pepper. Mix it thoroughly using clean hands.
4. Shape the meatloaf. Mold the mixture into a loaf shape, place on a wire rack and then set the rack on a baking sheet or a large cast iron pan.
5. Smoke the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf in the smoker, and smoke at 275°F (135°C) for 2 hours. After two hours, generously apply the remaining ⅓ cup of BBQ sauce over the top of the meatloaf. Continue to smoke for another hour or until the meatloaf reaches 160°F (72°C).
6. Serve! Remove the meatloaf from the smoker and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the meatloaf warm and enjoy!

I also love to pair it with a delicious steamed or roasted green vegetable like roasted broccoli, buttered peas & carrots, or roasted asparagus. Or for more ideas see my post on what to serve with meatloaf.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• When looking for wood chips, use wood that imparts a lot of flavor.
• Since we’re only smoking the meatloaf for 3 hours, you want to use a wood that will infuse smoky flavor into the meatloaf quickly.
• I used mesquite wood and cherry wood for this recipe, but you can also use hickory or pecan!
• You can use whatever smoker you have or even a grill with a smoking function/addition.
• I like Traeger smokers, but you can also use other pellet smokers, wood, charcoal, or an electric smoker!
• Make sure you don’t put the meatloaf directly on the smoker/grill, to ensure it doesn’t stick or break apart.
• It’s important to place the meatloaf on a wire rack covered baking sheet or cast-iron pan before putting it on the smoker, or else you may run the risk of the meatloaf sticking or falling between the grates of the smoker

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Place the leftovers in an airtight container, storage bag, or wrap tightly in foil. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.

Freezing

Use plastic cling film to wrap the leftovers, then place it in an airtight storage container or freezer storage bag and it will keep in the freezer for 3 months. As long as the meatloaf is stored properly it can be kept frozen longer, however, the flavor starts to deteriorate after the 3-month point.

Reheating

In my opinion, the oven is the best way to reheat leftover meatloaf to keep it moist and evenly heated. Start by preheating your oven to 250°F (121°C)and place the leftover meatloaf or slices of meatloaf in an oven-safe baking dish and add a splash of broth or water to keep the meatloaf moist.

Then, cover the dish with aluminum foil and reheat until the center reaches at least 165°F (74°C) with a thermometer, about 25 to 30 minutes. *Reheating times will vary depending on the size of the portion being reheated.

For more information see my posts on how to freeze meatloaf and how to reheat meatloaf.

❓ Recipe FAQs

😋 Other Meatloaf Recipes

• Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
• Stove Top Meatloaf
• Cracker Barrel Copycat Meatloaf
• Boston Market Meatloaf
• Air Fryer Meatloaf
• Ham Loaf

📖 Recipe Card