This Traeger Smoked Meatloaf transforms an everyday classic into a backyard masterpiece. Savory beef, smoky flavor, and a kiss of wood-fired perfection come together in a dish that's guaranteed to become a favorite.
Simply blend your ingredients, shape the loaf, and let your Traeger do the rest. Hours later, you'll be rewarded with juicy, tender meatloaf infused with a depth of flavor that only smoke can create.
Why You'll Love Smoked Meatloaf
This Smoked Meatloaf recipe is sure to become a new summer favorite. It's simple to make, and because it's smoked on a Traeger pellet grill, you know it's going to be moist and flavorful.
This recipe is easy to follow and uses simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. The meatloaf is smoked on a Traeger pellet grill, which gives it a delicious smoky flavor. And the addition of pineapple barbecue sauce adds a touch of sweetness that perfectly complements the savory meatloaf.
- Delicious. The combination of the sweet and smoky flavors of the BBQ sauce with the savory meatloaf is simply irresistible.
- Easy to make. The recipe is easy to follow and can be made in just a few hours.
- Versatile. You can serve it as a main course, and it make fabulous leftover meatloaf sandwiches. In inclement weather, you can always bake it in the oven also!
- Perfect for summer. The smoky flavors of the meatloaf pair perfectly with the warm weather, summer fruits, and outdoor entertaining.
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Traeger Smoked Meatloaf Ingredients
Use any ground beef you prefer. I've included the recipe for my Pineapple BBQ sauce as well, but you can use any BBQ sauce you prefer.
For The Meatloaf
- Ground Beef - Lean, 85% ground chuck.
- Onion - Yellow or white, diced fine.
- Eggs
- Garlic powder
- BBQ Sauce - Use our Pineapple BBQ Sauce (see recipe below), or any that you prefer.
- Worcestershire Sauce - You can also use Soy sauce instead.
- Crumbs - Use either bread or cracker crumbs.
- Salt
- Pepper
You will find a separate printable recipe card and post for Pineapple BBQ sauce, but I've included it's recipe here also for convenience.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Traeger Smoked Meatloaf
Prepare the BBQ sauce the day or morning before making the meatloaf, or use any store bought BBQ sauce.
Mix Ground Meat With Ingredients
- Preheat your Traeger 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.
- Mix the ingredients using your clean or gloved hands, taking care to mix everything until well blended. Pull together into a ball.
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.
Shape Loaf and Baste With BBQ Sauce
PRO TIP: I use a round cooling rack inside my 10" cast iron skillet, as this allows more of the wood smoke to circulate around the meatloaf when it's smoking inside the Traeger.
- 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.
Place Meatloaf In The Smoker
- Smoke the meatloaf for 2-3 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, using an instant read thermometer.
Smoke and Baste
- Brush the smoked meat loaf with a last coating of the 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.
BBQ Smoker Meatloaf Serving Suggestions
This Traeger Smoked Meatloaf is delicious served with your favorite sides, such as mashed potatoes, green beans, or corn on the cob. Instead of catsup on the side, set some more of the BBQ sauce in a bowl for dipping!
Some good sides to serve with this smoked meatloaf recipe include mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, or macaroni and cheese.
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Amish Coleslaw (Old Fashioned Coleslaw)
- Chick Fil A Carrot Salad
- Traeger Corn on the Cob
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Related Recipes
- Instant Pot Chili - No Beans
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts
- Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations when making this BBQ Smoked Meatloaf recipe:
- You can substitute different types of meat for the ground beef and ground pork, such as ground turkey or chicken.
- Try different vegetables in the meatloaf, such as grated carrots, finely diced celery, or minced mushrooms.
- For a spicier meatloaf, add a ¼ teaspoon of chipotle or cayenne pepper to the meat mixture.
- If you don't have barbecue sauce, you can use ketchup or another type of tomato-based sauce.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this Smoked Meatloaf recipe.
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- Traeger Pellet Grill and Smoker
- Traeger Hickory Wood Pellets
- Traeger Pellet Grill and Smoker Combo Set
Storage and Reheating
- This smoked meatloaf can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- It can also be frozen for up to 2 months, stored in a freezer safe container.
- To reheat frozen meatloaf, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then bake covered lightly with foil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, or until it is heated through.
Tips for Success
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Use your favorite. I made homemade Pineapple BBQ sauce for this tropical themed smoked meatloaf, but you can use any that you prefer.
We recommend smoking the meatloaf at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you can also smoke it at 250 degrees
It takes about 2 ½ to 3 hours for this smoked meatloaf recipe at 225 Fahrenheit on a pellet grill. However, the smoking time may vary depending on your Traeger grill and the thickness of the meatloaf.
To prevent the meatloaf from drying out, you can add a layer of bacon on top of the meatloaf before smoking it. You can also add a bit of water or broth to the bottom of the baking dish before smoking the meatloaf.
More Delish Ideas
BBQ Smoked Meatloaf
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
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.
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