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Smoked Meatloaf

Smoked meatloaf with low-and-slow smoke that builds a mahogany, bark-like crust and leaves a visible smoke ring on each slice. Finished with a sticky BBQ glaze that caramelizes on top for a classic smoker dinner texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
rest 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground meatloaf
  • 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup milk
  • 1 small onion grated
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste
BBQ glaze
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Wood chips
  • 1 hickory or cherry wood chips

Equipment

  • 1 smoker
  • 1 wire rack
  • 1 grill-safe pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the smoker loaf
  1. Preheat smoker to 225–250°F, loading hickory or cherry wood chips for steady smoke, until the chamber stabilizes. You should see consistent smoke coming from the vents.
  2. Mix ground beef (80/20), ground pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, grated small onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until just combined. Stop mixing once the meat looks evenly speckled with seasoning.
  3. Shape the mixture into a free-form loaf on a wire rack or in a grill-safe pan. Aim for a compact loaf so it cooks evenly low and slow.
Smoke to doneness
  1. Place the loaf in the smoker and smoke 2–2.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Expect the surface to darken and begin forming a mahogany crust.
  2. Mix BBQ glaze ingredients (BBQ sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar) and brush generously over the meatloaf. Coat the top fully so it will caramelize into a glossy, sticky finish.
  3. Continue smoking 30–45 minutes until the glaze caramelizes and internal temperature reaches 160°F. Look for a tacky shine on top and a deeper brown crust around the edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the smoked meatloaf 15 minutes before slicing and serving. The juices should settle, and the smoke ring at slice edges will look crisp and well-defined.

Notes

For the clearest smoke ring, keep the smoker closed and avoid rushing the cook—use a reliable instant-read thermometer to hit 145°F then 160°F. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze cooked slices for up to 2 months. For a lower-fat option, use 90/10 ground beef and reduce added breadcrumbs by 2–3 tbsp so the loaf still holds together.