Need a Smoked Meatloaf Recipe

[Craig McDonald]

I've been given the mission to make smoked meatloaf. I could really use a good recipe, time and temp, and suggestions on which wood would work best. Please help me hold on to my Man Card.

[HorseDoctor]

Use the search function at the top of the page. Lottsa info on smoked meatloaf there... Good luck!

[Huskee]

DWCowles to the rescue. I've made his and it's wonderful.

EDIT: Here's the one I followed of his and I loved it: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...341#post307341 You can see the pic of it in the post right above the one with the recipe (posts #337, 338).

There are several in here though if you search 'meatloaf' and scan through the results.

[Steve B]

I kinda remember Kathryn fzxdoc had a smoked meatloaf recipe that sounded great. Maybe she'll chime in.

[fzxdoc]

This one for smoked bacon-covered meatloaf works for me:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/beef-steak-brisket-roasts-prime-rib-etc/38043-bacon-covered-smoked-meatloaf-on-the-pbc#post38043

Kathryn

[dtassinari]

Man, oh man, I love meatloaf. My recipe is close enough to those on this website that I won't bother sharing it, but I do have a couple of tips if you want to make it look more impressive and don't mind some extra effort. (Ok, lots of extra effort, but bear with me).

First off, if you have a sous vide circulator, you MUST try and cook your meatloaf at 70 C for 6 hours then sear it with your preferred method. Game changer. You could even do SV -> chill -> smoke -> sear. If you do want to try this, be advised that I'm not a big fan of bag juices from meatloaf (too much going on in there to make them tasty), so make sure you boil, strain and (most importantly) taste them before you add them to a gravy.

Anyway, once you have your "sausage" recipe dialled in here's how I fancify it. Let's say you have 1.3 kg / 3 lb. of meatloaf mix (in my world that serves 6-8 people). I'd split this into three bowls: 900 g, 200 g and 150 g / 2 lb, 1/2 lb and 1/2 lb, give or take.

In addition to that, you'll need about 150 g / 1 cup cheese (whatever cheese, preferably of the melty stringy kind, it's fun) and about 150 c / 1 cup sauteed veggies in small pieces (chopped, grated, brunoise, I'm not particular). This is a good way to use up some of those pesky courgettes / zucchini that seem to reproduce in the garden faster than you can pick them, but really, whatever you like. If you're using watery stuff like zucchini or mushrooms they have to be cooked thoroughly or they'll give out too much moisture and weaken your loaf.

The large portion is going to be your outer layer, so lay out some cling film / saran wrap to make a 60x40 cm / 24"x16" rectangle. You will probably have to partially overlap multiple layers. If you're having trouble getting your plastic to cling to the counter and not you, wipe the counter with a barely damp, clean towel; you can use it to get rid of bubbles in the plastic too.

Spread the big portion of your meatloaf in the middle of the plastic to make a 40x30 cm / 16"x12" rectangle. You'll have to spread it out fairly thin, so try and make it even. If you have a 40x30 / half sheet pan you can lay your plastic on top of it, leaving the excess over the edges, and it'll help you with your measurements. Put this in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up a bit.

Next, lightly oil a piece of parchment / ovenproof paper that's at least 40x30 cm / 16"x12". Mix your veggies with the second portion of the meatloaf, then spread it all out on the paper in a 30x20 / 12"x8" rectangle. This will be even thinner. Take the sheet pan with the large rectangle of meatloaf out of the fridge, pick up the paper with the veggie mixture and turn it upside down onto the middle of the larger rectangle. If you oiled it properly you should be able to peel off the paper and leave your second layer in place, with a nice 1-2" border of just sausage around it. Lightly misting the back of the paper with water can help. This time it doesn't need to go in the fridge. Save the paper.

Mix the last of the meatloaf with the cheese and lay it out in a tube on top of the other layers: your tube should be around 5 cm / 2" in diameter and 20 cm / 8" long. Try not to bunch it in the centre, and do try to make it as long as the veggie layer.

Now is the tricky bit: rolling it into a perfect log. You do that by only touching the plastic: pick up the long edge furthest from you, lift it up and roll it towards you. You're looking to make the whole log fall towards you in a controlled manner while peeling off the plastic. When you're almost done make sure to tuck the plastic you're holding UNDER the log and back towards you so that you can tighten it. Take the loose sides in each hand and roll it gently (don't tighten it yet). Tuck the side ends you've used as handles under it.

Now take more plastic and make a 60x60 cm / 24"x24" square. Put your log PERPENDICULAR to the way it was before, so that the creases in the plastic run the other direction (this strengthens it). (Or, which is the same thing, lay out the plastic in the other direction and place your log in the same way, up to you.) Gently tighten it again.

Take a toothpick and prick the plastic all the way to the core in about a dozen spots all over. Gently roll the log back and forth under your hands to let some air out, then roll it quite tight by keeping the loose plastic ends in your hands. Stop once the meatloaf mixture starts bulging out of the holes. Don't go crazy or you'll tear the plastic. Tuck the ends under again.

Do it once more with the plastic in the original direction minus the pricking and you're done. Let it firm up in the fridge for a few hours (ideally overnight). If you're cooking it SV then you can bag it and seal it while still in the plastic; if cooking traditionally, gently peel all the plastic layers away, place on the piece of paper you saved and cook.

Why all the effort? I like inclusions in my meatloaf, but I don't like it when the veggies burn on the outside, and I am especially bothered by cheese melting down, leaving pockmarks in the sides and making a (delicious but uncouth) mess. Plus I like the wow factor of having perfectly concentric coloured layers. And mixing some sausage mix with the cheese and veggies maintains essential structural integrity so that it can be sliced thin and it won't crumble into a pile: if you just put a layer of zucchini in the middle it won't hold together.

Next time I do this I'll take pictures and post a walk-through

[Eugene A]

"K-I-S-S." I did meatloaf, one pound of beef and one pound of pork, one egg, a little Panko breadcrumbs. Mix by hand thoroughly. Mold it into a mound, and wrap with bacon. I put it in my Camp Chef smoker, at 350, using oak wood (a very small amount, since it was my first time using oak), until it hit an internal temp in the 155-165 range. Let it rest for maybe 15-30 minutes, slice and serve.

[troymeister]

I recently did this. Was delicious.


INGREDIENTS

• • 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1/4 cup grated onion
  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup Chili Sauce (recipe follows) or regular bottled chili sauce
• INSTRUCTIONS
• 1. Indirect heat 325°F +/- . I used 2 chunks of cherry wood. I believe apple wood would be very good.
  2. In a large bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the beef, onions, carrots, egg, salt, and pepper to the bread crumb mixture. Mix gently.
  4. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf Make 3 holes, evenly spaced lengthwise, in the meat loaf and fill them to the top with the sauce.
  5. I baked the meatloaf on the grill until it reached 140 degrees.
• Chili Sauce:
  1. Makes 3/4 cup
  2. Ingredients
  3. 1/2 cup ketchup
  4. 1 teaspoon chili paste, such as sambal oelek
  5. 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
  6. Procedure
  7. Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl

[SmokenInTexas]

Not trying to be negative or anything but how many here think that smoked meatloaf is a little weird?
Does it have a wide appeal and it's just me?

While smoke improves a lot of dishes I dont think meatloaf is one of them.

[EdF]

I have to wonder a bit, and probably try it a few times. I've had meatloafs that are tough and kind of dry, and others that are loose and soft - all depending on what's in them. I imagine a looser, softer one with some sweet peppers in it could be pretty good smoked. But haven't tried it, so ...

[EdF]

And of course you're right - it's a matter of taste!

[HorseDoctor]

I thought I was the only one... I have a meatloaf recipe that I like so well I can't imagine smoke would add anything to it. Plus, a smoked meatloaf sandwich is the last thing I ate before the last time I suffered a 24 hour puke/poop bug. Lost any desire for the concept!

[Corvus]

I usually like to course grind my own hamburger from chosen cuts of beef. Recently we were stranded on an island without our grinder so I picked up some fresh ground local grass fed beef. I gently folded in some salt, pepper and garlic powder, formed a loaf (don't over work it) and let it rest overnight in the fridge. I cherry smoked it on a foil pan 230-250 until 202 IT. Finished with a light BBQ sauce glaze. It was such a big hit with the clan, we repeated it twice more in 2 weeks. KISS........your milage ay vary.

[Yno]

While I am the one doing most of the prep and all of the actual smoking, Ynette is the meatloaf queen. I sometimes make suggestions which she sometimes incorporates, but she has the final say. But of all the variations we have tried, they are all great! I think meatloaf is one thing you can hardly mess up as long as you don't go too crazy (and I allow a LOT of leeway here) and pay attention to the final temperature. That said, i am going to have her read all these threads and add some thing ti her repertoire. As long as it doesn't involve beets...

[EdF]

My wife is also a meatloaf queen. I follow her lead, but am going to convince her to let me smoke one.