Meatloaf is so well, ho-hum. Just kind of boring. But, it’s an easy, economical dinner as well. I like to change mine up and make an Easy Smoked BBQ Meatloaf, and it’s so much better than the typical ketchup-heavy meatloaf. I cook this recipe on a pellet grill with a smoke-augmentation device for added smokiness and flavor.
Putting an Easy Smoked BBQ Meatloaf together
I follow the normal meatloaf “rules,” I just change the ingredients. Instead of ketchup, I use my Classic BBQ sauce. The main seasoning is my Classic BBQ rub. If you don’t have those, feel free to substitute in your favorite rubs and sauces, but be careful of the salt content so you don’t make it too salty. Other than that, you’ll find the normal suspects in this meatloaf line-up: Ground Beef, bread crumbs (I use panko,) S&P, diced onions and peppers, and eggs. Basically, we’re going to mix everything together in a bowl then put into a disposable aluminum “half pan” for cooking. Easy Peasy!
Adding Some Extra Smokiness to BBQ Meatloaf
It’s not right to call it “BBQ Meatloaf” if it doesn’t have some smokiness, but I don’t mind if you just cook this in the oven. It will still be really good. But, if you’re cooking it on a pellet grill like I did for this recipe, I would add some extra smoke flavor. I use a Diamond King Smoke Box, but there are several smoke tubes, smoke briquettes on the market you can use. At the end of the day, it’s not really necessary, but it’s a fairly fast cook time, so I like up to amp up the flavor.
Cook, Glaze, and serve this BBQ Meatloaf!
After mixing everything, press tightly into a half pan. This recipe doesn’t fill it up, so I leave an inch at one end. Cook at 350 for 40 minutes, or until meatloaf reaches 170 degrees. Drain the grease, glaze with additional BBQ sauce, and cook for 10 more minutes. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice into portions and serve.
A super easy dinner entrée for around $10 that will feed up to eight people! You can’t really beat that for a tasty dinner. Also, this freezes well, so it’s perfect for meal prep!
As always, I hope you enjoy!
Print
Easy Smoked BBQ Meatloaf
Description
Take your meatloaf game up several notches with my Easy Smoked BBQ Meatloaf! Of course, you can cook this in the oven and it will still be delicious, but cooking it on the grill takes the humble meatloaf to a new level!
Ingredients
2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 TBS minced garlic
1 cup Melissa’s Classic BBQ Sauce, plus more for glazing
1/4 cup Melissa’s Classic BBQ Rub, plus more for sprinking
1.5 TBS Melissa’s Woo Woo Sauce, or 2.5 TBS regular Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS canola Oil
Instructions
Preheat grill to run at 350 with apple or pecan wood smoke.
In a small skillet, sauté onions and peppers for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add ground beef; sautéed onions mix; BBQ sauce, BBQ Rub, whisked eggs, panko, Woo Woo, and S&P. If cooking in the oven I like to add 1 tsp smoked paprika to give a hint of smokiness.
Press firmly into a 1/2 hotel pan, leaving 1″ space on one end.
Place in smoker and cook until it reaches 170 degrees internal temp. Drain grease, then glaze meatloaf with additional BBQ sauce. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes, then remove and rest for 10 minutes.
Slice into portions and serve, with additional BBQ Sauce on the side.
