You've never tasted a better meatloaf in your life! This smoked meatloaf is stuffed with cheddar and mozzarella cheese and is wrapped in slices of thick applewood bacon. Brushed with a delicious Kansas City-style BBQ sauce and smoked low and slow for 4 hours, you'll be amazed by how it is packed with so much flavor!
Meatloaf is extremely versatile and can be made so many different ways. You can make a super healthy and nutritious meatloaf or you can make a ground turkey meatloaf and add some Feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes. And then you always have that classic meatloaf recipe mom used to make (and yes, I still make this version!) But have you ever smoked a meatloaf? A good smoked meatloaf recipe takes things to a whole different level flavor wise.
This stuffed meatloaf has been adapted from mom's traditional recipe and I have perfected it over the years and let me tell you...it turned it into the best smoked meatloaf ever! Take a look at what others are saying about it after they made it:
This was simple to make and was better the next day! It has become a family favorite from the first time I made it.
- Lori
Thanks for this recipe, as it was the best meatloaf that we have ever had!
- Ron
And it pairs amazingly well with this homemade potato salad recipe, creamy mashed potatoes, and these smoked green beans with bacon! You're going to love every bite!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Don't let the name intimidate you. This is an easy meatloaf recipe to make.
- It's wrapped in bacon so of course, it is amazing!
- While using ground pork brings extra flavor to the mixture, it also has a high-fat content which helps to keep it moist and tender as it cooks. It's ALSO stuffed with cheese that oozes out when it is cut open!
- One of the things that really pulls this recipe together is the vegetable mixture. The onions benefit so much from being sautéed in order to release the natural sugars, and that is the key to this recipe.
- Cooking the onions, jalapeños, and garlic before mixing them in with the ground meats makes all the difference and will take your meatloaf to the next level!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil: you can use olive oil, but using extra virgin olive oil adds more of a robust flavor when sauteeing the vegetables and contains more nutrients.
- Onions: use a yellow or white onion.
- Jalapeños: using a fresh jalapeño adds a mild spicy flavor.
- Garlic: chopping fresh garlic cloves tastes better than using a jar of minced garlic.
- Milk: whole milk adds more richness and flavor.
- Breadcrumbs: instead of using packaged breadcrumbs, tear a loaf of bread or add it to a food processor to shred.
- Eggs: a binding agent.
- BBQ sauce: adds a lot of saucy flavor. Use a homemade bbq sauce or store bought bottled version.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds a depth of flavor.
- BBQ spice: a combination of dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Ground beef: use a higher fat percentage to enhance the flavor.
- Ground pork: adds extra flavor and moisture.
- Cheddar cheese: shred a fresh block of mild cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella cheese: packaged cheese works fine, but shredding a block of cheese melts better which makes it more creamy.
- Bacon: use thick cut bacon such as applewood smoked bacon.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
Variations
- Cheese - switch it up and add in or substitute the cheddar and mozzarella cheese with pepper jack cheese, provolone, or sharp cheddar cheese.
- Bacon - turkey bacon can be used instead of pork.
- Meat - if you dont want to add pork, you can add more beef. Or, a vegan or vegetarian ground meat also works well when making smoked meatloaf.
- BBQ sauce - I love using my homemade bbq sauce in this meatloaf recipe. This bbq pumpkin spice bbq sauce also tastes amazing, especially in the fall!
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Begin by adding oil to a pan or skillet. Using a sharp knife, diced the onion. Then chop the jalapeños and garlic. Add all the chopped vegetables to the hot oil in the pan and sauté, allowing the flavors to come together until they are aromatic.
Step 2: In a large bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs. I made my breadcrumbs from a loaf of sourdough bread, using a food processor. They will become soggy from soaking in the milk, but this helps add moisture.
Step 3: Mix in the beaten eggs, bbq sauce, barbecue seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined.
Step 4: Now, mix in the ground pork and ground beef. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty! Be sure not to over mix too much as this will cause your meatloaf to lose its texture. Mix just enough to have a uniform combination.
Step 5: Then, dump out the meatloaf mixture onto some parchment or butcher paper and form a rectangle about ¼" thick. Sprinkle the cheese mixture onto the meat.
Step 6: Carefully roll the loaf into a log while peeling back the parchment paper.
Step 7: Transfer the meatloaf to a grill pan or a wire rack. Now, shape your meat roll into a loaf! Wrap it in the strips of bacon and smoke on your grill at 225°F.
Step 8: Brush on the bbq sauce and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes until the bbq sauce has caramelized and soaked into the meat mixture. The cook time should take about for 3-4 hours to fully smoke.
🌡️ Done Temperature For Meatloaf
This smoked meatloaf is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. When done, remove it from the smoker. Allow it to rest for at least 7-10 minutes before slicing.
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You are about to taste the best meatloaf you've ever had! Serve it with your favorite side dishes, like this smoked macaroni and cheese or these smoked herb and garlic potatoes.
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
It's all about preference. If you use hickory wood, it will provide a strong, smoky flavor that pairs well with beef and pork. My personal favorite is to use applewood because it offers a mild, sweet, and fruity smoke, which will add a subtle flavor that complements the meatloaf without overpowering it. I have also had great success using mesquite wood because it delivers a bold and intense smoke flavor. You can also do a combination of several different wood flavors!
Using Parchment paper to help guide in the rolling process is vital and really helps ensure the meat mixture stays together. Once rolled, wrapping the slices of bacon around the meatloaf will ensure it doesn't fall apart.
Yes. Allowing it to rest after smoking helps the flavors really meld together before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
- Any type of smoker can be used to make this smoked meatloaf recipe.
- Be sure not to over mix the ingredients. If you do, it will leave you with a tough, dry texture.
- Always pick out a coarse grind when selecting your ground meat. This will give the meatloaf more texture and prevent it from becoming mushy.
- To cut down on the spiciness, only use 1 jalapeño and remove the seeds.
- When smoking a meatloaf, it is preferable to place the meatloaf on a pan that has holes or perforations. This will allow for smoke to penetrate the meat on all sides.
- Smoke it at 225°F. Smoking low and slow will ensure the meatloaf turns out good and moist.
- For a quicker cook time, you can increase the temperature to 275°F or 300°F, but you will get a more intense smoke flavor at lower temperatures.
- Leftover meatloaf makes for a great sandwich the next day! Store any leftovers in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
🥘 More Smoker Recipes For You To Try!
If you tried this smoked meatloaf or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Smoked Meatloaf
Equipment
- Smoker
- Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small onions, diced
- 2-4 jalapeños, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons barbecue spice blend
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 10 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F using your favorite wood or pellets.
- In a medium sauté pan, sauté the diced onions and chopped jalapeños for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute. Set the vegetables aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs and pour in the milk so that all of the breadcrumbs absorb the moisture.
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, beaten eggs, sautéed onions, jalapeños and garlic, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue spice blend, and ¼ cup of bbq sauce. Mix gently with your hands until just barely combined. Don't overwork the meat or else your meatloaf will be tough.
- Dump the meatloaf mixture out onto butcher or parchment paper and form a large, flat rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheeses over the flattened loaf. Be sure to cover it edge-to-edge.
- Carefully roll the meatloaf starting from one of the shorter edges. As you roll the meatloaf, peel back the parchment paper and continue rolling until you reach the end. You will now have a rolled up meatloaf with a pinwheel of cheese stuffing.
- Transfer the meatloaf from the parchment paper to a grill pan. Your grill pan should have holes or slits in it so the smoke can pass through it from the bottom and get into the meat.
- Wrap it in the strips of bacon and then place the meatloaf on the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature reads 155°F.
- Brush the remaining portion of the bbq sauce on the meatloaf and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the meatloaf rest for at least 7-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
-
- Be sure not to over mix the ingredients. If you do, it will leave you with a tough, dry texture.
-
- Always pick out a coarse grind when selecting your ground meat. This will give the it more texture and prevent it from becoming mushy.
-
- To cut down on the spiciness, only use 1 jalapeño and remove the seeds.
-
- When smoking, it is preferable to place the meatloaf on a pan that has holes or perforations. This will allow for smoke to penetrate the meat on all sides.
-
- Smoke it at 225°F. Smoking low and slow will ensure the meatloaf is good and moist.
-
- For a quicker cook time, you can increase the temperature to 275°F or 300°F, but you will get a more intense smoke flavor at lower temperatures.
-
- Leftover makes for a great sandwich the next day! Store any leftovers in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Ron
Thanks for this recipe, as it was the best meatloaf that we have ever had. The only substitute I used oatmeal instead of the breadcrumbs. I used apple pellets and a apple rub.
Amanda Mason
I'm so glad to hear it was such a huge hit! The oatmeal is a very unique add...one I've not thought of before...but I'm SO GLAD it turned out so well!!! Keep making my recipes and let me know how you like each one!
Tate
Looks amazing, I’m planning to make it this weekend! Question though.. I’ve heard that a bacon wrap can limit the smoke flavor in the meat underneath - ever found that to be true? Alternatively, if you were to mix chopped bacon in the loaf, would you do it from raw or cooked?
Amanda Mason
Hi Tate! I cant wait to hear how it turns out for you. On the smoke limitation aspect...the meatloaf is going to be in the middle of your smoker for hours. As long as you are getting good clean smoke...the smoke flavor will be there and it will be sufficient. And no, I've not found it to be true. Definitely raw on the bacon inside the loaf. The internal temp has to reach 165°F in order to be done so the bacon will definately be cooked all the way. Let me know how your turns out!!!
Kristyn Paulos
Best meatloaf we have ever had!
-comealive21(instagram)
Amanda Mason
Yeah!! So glad you loved it so much!!
Joyce Kostesky
Love this recipe. I've made it twice. Once following the recipe and then putting my own spin on it. I stuffed it with ham slices, spinach and swiss cheese. Next, I will stuff it with asparagus and jalapeno cheese. I bake mine in the oven as I don't have a smoker. Thank you.
Amanda Mason
Hi Joyce! I'm so glad you love the recipe so much! Tell me...what temp and time do you bake it in the oven?! Your changes sound so amazing! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out for you and I can't wait to hear what other recipes of mine you try next!!
Joyce Kostesky
Hi Amanda,
I'm happy you like my add ons to the recipe. I cooked the meatloaf at 375 degrees in the oven. I unfortunately did not time it. I just cooked it until it reached an internal temperature of 165 (approximately 45 - 60 mins.)
Joyce
Amanda Mason
Great! Thank you!
Joyce Kostesky
Hi Amanda,
Glad you like my add ons to the recipe. I cooked the meatloaf in the oven at 375 degrees until internal temperature was 165. I didn't really time it, but it was approximately 45 - 60 minutes.
Joyce
Lori
This was simple to make and was better the next day! It has become a family favorite from the first time I made it.
Joshua Boquist
Lori, that is great to hear! Thank you for the comment. It is one of my favorite recipes!
Tom
Turned out very good. Step 4 should instruct the cook to add the sautéed onions to the mixture as well as the other items. Also, I lost most of my cheese out the ends of the loaf as the cheese melted. Next time I won’t spread the cheese all the way to the edges of the loaf. Maybe it will seal it and prevent it from weeping out.
Amanda Mason
I'm glad the meatloaf turned out so well or you!! I've never had that issue with the cheese before when I sprinkle it from edge to edge. updated step 4 - thanks for the callout!
Tom
Thanks for your timely response. Great recipe!
Amanda Mason
Thank you! I can't wait to hear what else you make!!!
Bonnie Ambrose
I made this yesterday and it was delicious! Being only 2 of us I'm going to half it next time - but it definitely worth repeating!
Amanda Mason
Yeah! So glad you loved it, Bonnie!! It's one of my favorites, as well!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you!!
Karen
Oh my goodness. The guys in my house would love this! Why haven't I ever stuffed my meatloaf with cheese!?
Joshua Boquist
Karen, thank you for the comment. I always like to try new things to make the meatloaf more interesting and fun! Hope you try it out! Let me know how it is!