This is our tried and tested smoker meatloaf recipe. 

As usual we will take you through step by step and help with any questions you have about smoking meatloaf in the FAQ’s section.

This recipe will feed 4-6 people depending on side dishes and appetites.

Smoker Meatloaf Recipe in 4 Easy Steps

Smoked Meatloaf Recipe Step 1 – Prepare the Loaf

Ingredients

First of all mix 3/4 cup or 96g of breadcrumbs and 1 cup or 250ml of milk together in a small bowl.

Put aside for a minutes to let the breadcrumbs absorb the milk and begin to swell up. This will help bind the loaf together and keep it moist.

Now mix all of the following ingredients together in a large bowl, using your hands. 

• 2 pounds of ground/mince beef (with decent fat content such as chuck mince)
• 3-4 spring/green onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

Work as quickly as you can but make sure you don’t overwork the meat. 

Form the meat into a roughly rectangular loaf shape.

Sprinkle the following dry rub all over the top of the meatloaf and round the sides.

Smoked Meatloaf Dry Rub

1 Tablespoon of Salt 

2 Teaspoons of Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons of Smoked Paprika

1/2 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder

3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Onion Powder 

1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

We’re using the same rub as we used for the recent post ‘Smoker Recipe for Pork Butt,’ and this rub works really well for ribs too. 

Smoking Meatloaf Recipe Step 2 – Smoke the Meatloaf for 3-4 hours

Get your smoker up to 225°F. We like to use a Pit Boss Sportsman Wood Pellet Grill, but you can use whatever you have.

If you are using a Pit Boss, put it on the ‘S,’ or Smoke Setting on your control panel. If you are using a Traeger Pellet Grill put it on the Super Smoke setting for extra smokiness.

Add the wood or wood chips of your choice – we like the strong taste of hickory but you can use maple, pecan, apple or cherry if you prefer a milder smoke taste.

You are going to need a grill rack over a tray for this smoke, so that the excess fat gets caught in the bottom of a disposable tray. 

Some smokers have a grease tray already, but it’s also really easy to just place a cooling rack over a disposable aluminium tray.

Put your meatloaf onto the grill rack and place the tray directly onto the grills of your smoker, and close the lid down.

You will probably need to refuel every 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your smoker.

Check the internal temperature of the meatloaf around halfway through the smoke – roughly two hours in – to see how things are progressing. 

Smoker Meatloaf Recipe Step 3 – Brush with BBQ Sauce

For the last 15-20 minutes of the smoke we are going to brush the meatloaf with your favourite BBQ sauce. This will give us a fantastic sticky glaze around the outside of our loaf.

If you want to make BBQ sauce from scratch try here:

https://bbqsmokergrill.org/how-to-make-bbq-sauce/

When the internal temperature of the meat is up to around 155°F brush the meatloaf all over with BBQ sauce. 

Put the lid down and leave the meatloaf until you are happy the internal temperature is around 160-165°F

Take the meatloaf off the smoker and rest it for a few minutes.

Smoker Meatloaf Recipe Step 4 – Slice and Serve

Slice your meatloaf into fairly thick slices around 1/2 inch thick, depending on the number of people you are feeding.

Serve your meatloaf with mashed potatoes, fries, sweet potato, corn on the cob, and steamed vegetables of your choice.

FAQ’s About Meatloaf in the Smoker

What is Meatloaf?

Meatloaf is made from a combination of ground beef or pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, onions, spices and seasonings shaped into a loaf shape, and then cooked in the oven or smoker.

Is Meatloaf an English Dish?

Meatloaf has its origins in Scandinavian, Belgian and German cooking. 

The American version of meatloaf we enjoy today was brought over by German-American colonists in the 17th Century when they settled in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

How Long to Smoke a Meatloaf at 225?

A 2 pound meatloaf with take around 3-4 hours in the smoker at 225°F. Always cook to internal temperature instead of exact timings which will be different every time you cook.

What Internal Temp Should Meatloaf Be?

Your meatloaf is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 160-165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp at the thickest part of the loaf.

Can You Smoke Meatloaf?

Although it is not as common to smoke as some other meats, yes you can smoke meatloaf. It takes on the smoky flavour very well, producing a very tasty outcome.

What to Serve with Meatloaf

The classic side dishes with meatloaf would be mashed potatoes and coleslaw. There are plenty of other options however, such as sweet potato fries, cauliflower, asparagus, baked potatoes or corn on the cob.

What Should I Glaze Meatloaf With?

Meatloaf can be glazed with your favourite BBQ sauce or it is often enjoyed with ketchup.

Should I Wrap My Meatloaf with Bacon?

Some people like to wrap meatloaf with bacon which helps keep the mince moist and adds a salty, crispy element to the meatloaf. 

This is optional and we prefer to glaze the outside with BBQ sauce.

Pit Boss Smoker Meatloaf

For a great pellet smoker recipe for meatloaf on the Pit Boss try here:

Smoked Meatloaf On A Pit Boss – Pellet Smoker Meatloaf Recipe

Traeger Smoked Meatloaf

Traeger have a great recipe for smoking meatloaf ‘Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf,’ made with their signature ‘Que BBQ sauce.

https://www.traeger.com/recipes/not-your-mamas-meatloaf

Further Meat Smoker Recipe Ideas

If you enjoyed this article you might also like some of our other meat smoker recipes:

‘Smoker Recipe for Brisket.’

‘Smoker Recipe for Turkey.’

‘Smoker Recipe for Venison.’

‘Smoker Recipe for Chicken.’

For another great ‘Smoker Meatloaf Recipe,’ try here:

https://bakeitwithlove.com/smoked-meatloaf/

Yum