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Moist, smoky flavor, and the sweetness of the pineapple glaze makes this smoked meatloaf 10x better than your moms. Fire up those smokers and let's make some comfort food!
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Ingredients
This smoked meatloaf is made with a 50:50 mixture of ground beef and ground pork for exceptional flavor. Also swapping out bread crumbs for ritz crackers gives this a smooth buttery touch.
Meatloaf
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Ritz crackers
- Milk
- Mozzarella balls
- Carrots (grated)
- Shallots (minced)
- Eggs
- Seasonings
Glaze
- Ketchup
- Pineapple Preserves
- Brown sugar
Secret to the Best Meatloaf
Keeping a meatloaf moist is the key to making this meal stand out from your everyday boring meatloaf. Milk and carrots are what does this. The milk and water in the carrots will hydrate the ritz crackers making this smoked meatloaf recipe moist and delicious.
Pair the moistness with some great mozzarella cheese and a great glaze topping and you have the perfect smoked meatloaf.
Smoked Meatloaf Video (1 minute)
Choosing a Smoker & Wood
I'm smoking this meatloaf on my pellet smoker, just like the Camp Chef 36 smoker or Traeger 780. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor without having to babysit a firebox all day.
A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker can also be used when making this smoked meatloaf recipe. Grab your favorite wood and get your smoker fired up.
My favorite wood to use when cooking meatloaf is an oak, pecan, or hickory wood. Mesquite pellets will also be fine for this recipe and not overpower the meat.
When using a pellet grill, competition or trophy blend pellets are also a great choice in addition to the woods mentioned above because they use several different types of wood mixed together giving a great balance of flavor.
Best side dishes
I love a good meatloaf, but the side dishes definitely round out the recipe and make the meal. My favorite is to pair this smoked meatloaf recipe with mashed potatoes and some great tasting smoked vegetables.
Here are some of the best side dishes to serve with your homemade smoked meatloaf:
- Mashed potatoes
- Smoked brussel sprouts
- Sweet potato fries
- Honey glazed carrots
- Smoked Mac and Cheese
Old Pro Tips
- Make sure to use the minced shallot instead of an onion. Shallots pack a great flavor and adds a unique flavor to this recipe.
- Use an oak, pecan, or hickory wood for the best smoky flavor.
- Place the meatloaf on a surface that allows the fat and grease to fall down and away from the meatloaf.
Try These Great Smoked Recipes
FAQ
Milk hydrates the ritz crackers or bread crumbs and keeps the meatloaf moist.
Eggs, milk, and crushed crackers will help bind the meat together allowing the meatloaf to keep it form yet also stay moist.
This is a personal preference, but a ketchup based glaze is more traditional. This recipe has pineapple preserves and brown sugar along with the ketchup to make the BEST glaze ever!
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 lb ground beef (85:15)
- 1 lb ground pork (85:15)
- 1 cup Ritz crackers (Crushed)
- 1 cup carrots (grated)
- ½ cup shallots (minced)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz mozzarella balls
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Pineapple Glaze
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup pineapple preserves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Pre-heat smoker to 225°F with your chosen wood.
- Add ground beef and ground pork to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add all other meatloaf ingredients to the bowl and mix well with your hands. Use food grade gloves when mixing. Make sure to not overmix the meatloaf.
- Form meatloaf into a loaf using your hands. Form it either into a circle or more long shaped form.
- Place meatloaf on a grill mat or fine grilling rack. You can use an oven pan, but a cooking surface that allows the juices away from the meatloaf is preferred.
- Place meatloaf on smoker and smoke until an internal temperature of 140°F.
- While the meatloaf is cooking, mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- After the meatloaf has reached 140°F internal, start basting the top of the meatloaf with the glaze. It's best to use a brush to evenly coat the meatloaf.
- Cook until the meatloaf reaches an internal temp of 160°F when tested with an instant read thermometer. This should take another 30-45 minutes.
- Once the internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1" thick pieces and serve.
- Pair with your favorite side dishes and Enjoy!
- Leave a star rating and comment after you make this amazing recipe to share your experience with others. Thanks!
Pro Tips
- Make sure to use the minced shallot instead of an onion. Shallots pack a great flavor and adds a unique flavor to this recipe.
- Use an oak, pecan, or hickory wood for the best smoky flavor.
- Place the meatloaf on a surface that allows the fat and grease to fall down and away from the meatloaf.
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