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–+ servings
BBQ smoked meatloaf on a platter, sliced.
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5 from 2 votes

BBQ Smoked Meatloaf

There's nothing quite like the smell of smoked meatloaf wafting through the air on a summer day. The combination of the sweet and smoky flavors of the pineapple BBQ sauce with the savory meatloaf is simply irresistible.
Prep Time14 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 14 minutes
Course: Grilling, Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Kelly Bloom
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Equipment

Ingredients

Pineapple BBQ Sauce

  • 1⅓ cup Pineapple juice reserved from can of crushed pineapple
  • ⅓ cup Soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoon Tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoon Honey
  • 2 tablespoon Molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger ground
  • 1½ teaspoon Allspice ground
  • 1½ teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1⅓ cup crushed pineapple
  • ½ teaspoon Liquid smoke OPTIONAL
  • ¼ teaspoon Chipotle or cayenne, OPTIONAL

For the Smoked Meatloaf

  • 2 lbs ground beef 85% ground chuck
  • ½ cup onion diced fine
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup Pineapple BBQ Sauce or any you prefer
  • ½ cup crumbs bread or cracker
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ⅓ cup Pineapple BBQ sauce to baste with
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Pineapple BBQ Sauce

  • Combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch in the sauce pan.
    1⅓ cup Pineapple juice, ⅓ cup Soy sauce, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • Whisk the tomato paste, honey, molasses, ginger, allspice, and garlic powder until blended.
    4 tablespoon Tomato paste, 3 tablespoon Honey, 2 tablespoon Molasses, 1 teaspoon Ginger, 1½ teaspoon Allspice, 1½ teaspoon Garlic powder
  • Add the pineapple and bring the sauce pan to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. If using fresh pineapple, you will need to cook for 7 minutes, so the pineapple fully cooks and releases any juices.
    1⅓ cup crushed pineapple
  • Add the liquid smoke and taste. Adjust seasoning with more pineapple juice if you want sauce thinner. Add chipotle chili powder or cayenne if you prefer a spicier barbecue sauce.
    ½ teaspoon Liquid smoke, ¼ teaspoon Chipotle
  • Pour the Pineapple BBQ sauce into clean, dry jars and let cool completely before sealing the lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the Smoked Meatloaf

  • Preheat your Traeger or pellet rill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and ½ the pineapple BBQ sauce.
    PRO TIP: I use only beef when making a meatloaf, but many people like to combine fattier ground pork with their beef for a moister meatloaf. You can easily make this recipe 50% ground beef and 50% ground pork.
    2 lbs ground beef, ½ cup onion, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoon garlic, ⅓ cup Pineapple BBQ Sauce, ½ cup crumbs, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Mix the ingredients using your clean or gloved hands, taking care to mix everything until well blended. Pull together into a ball.
  • Form the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper. Rack is optional.
  • Using a basting brush, coat the meatloaf with the Pineapple BBQ sauce, or your own favorite BBQ sauce.
    ⅓ cup Pineapple BBQ sauce
  • Smoke the meatloaf for 2-3 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, using an instant read thermometer.
  • Brush the smoked meat loaf with a last coating of the Pineapple BBQ Sauce and close the Traeger to cook for 5 additional minutes.
  • Remove the cast iron skillet with the BBQ smoked meatloaf and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • If you don't have a Traeger pellet grill, you can smoke the meatloaf in your oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test with an instant read thermometer after 1 hour until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • To make prep this smoked meatloaf ahead of time, form it into a loaf and place it in a greased baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to cook, remove the meatloaf from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before smoking or baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg