This smoked meatloaf recipe is loaded with flavorful chorizo sausage, ground beef, onions, peppers, and cheez-its, to give it so much more flavor than a classic meatloaf. This is definitely not your grandma's meatloaf recipe! This is a great recipe for adding more variety to your smoked meats.
My friend and BBQ master Joe inspired this recipe when he served a smoked meatloaf that was the only meatloaf my husband had ever enjoyed. I asked him what was in there, and he said "half chorizo, half beef, and cheez-it's instead of breadcrumbs". Suddenly, it wasn't such a mystery why my husband loved it! I believe that Joe sautés the onions and peppers before they go in, but in this version I add them raw.
Is this recipe healthy? No, not at all. If you want a healthy option for your smoker, check out my Smoked Chicken Breast or Smoked Pork Tenderloin instead. This recipe is peak comfort food!
FAQ
How long to smoke meatloaf?
When smoking meatloaf, you should shoot for an internal temperature of 160 F to 165 F. The time it takes will vary based on the temperature of your smoker and the size of the meatloaf. For a 2 lb meatloaf, smoked at 235 F, it will take about 5 to 6 hours.
Can you freeze smoked meatloaf?
Smoked meatloaf can be frozen after smoking and enjoyed another time! When I make this smoked meatloaf, I like to freeze half for an easy meal to reheat on another day. I place the half meatloaf on a parchment paper lined sheet or plate, freeze it, then transfer it to a vacuum bag or freezer zip bag.
What temperature is smoked meatloaf done?
Smoked meatloaf is done at an internal temperature of 160 F to 165 F.
What grill temperature for smoked meatloaf?
Anywhere between 220 F to 250 F is a good grill temperature for smoked meatloaf. If you want to cook it slower and take on more smoke flavor, opt for a lower temperature.
How to Make Smoked Meatloaf
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Preheat your smoker to 235 °F (or anywhere between 220 - 250 °F if you're smoking it with other things).
- Core the jalapeños to remove the seeds if you want to cut the spice a bit, or leave them for a spicier meatloaf, then finely dice the jalapeños. Finely dice the onion.
- In a large bowl, crack the eggs and gently whisk them, then add all of the other ingredients (ground beef, Mexican chorizo sausage, crushed cheez-its or breadcrumbs, diced onion, diced jalapeños, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and soy sauce). Mix everything together until fully cohesive, but do not excessively mix.
(Excessive mixing will make for a dense loaf with a poor texture) - Spray a wire baking/grilling rack with oil. Form the meat into a log shape and place it on the rack. Using a loaf pan to shape the meat can help!
(Do not place the loaf directly on your grill grates, it will likely stick and be a mess to remove) - Smoke the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temp of 160 °F to 165 °F about 5-6 hours.
(If you want it to cook faster, form it into two smaller loaves rather than one large loaf) - Remove the meat from the smoker, let it rest for a few minutes, slice it into ½-inch slices, and serve. You can use this on meatloaf sandwiches or on its own with sides like mashed potatoes. Delicious with a little bit of fresh thyme thrown on top.
(The meatloaf cools down quickly after slicing, so slice just before serving!)
Key Tips - Smoked Meatloaf
Use a loaf pan for easy shaping
- To get the perfect loaf shape, I press the meat mixture into a loaf pan then flip that upside and use a silicone spatula to gently help it release from the pan. You can form it by hand, but that is more difficult.
Do not place the meatloaf directly on the grill grates when smoking.
- While it may be tempting to place the meatloaf directly in the smoker, it may get stuck to the grates and fall apart when you remove it. I really recommend using a mesh or wire rack to ensure it can easily be removed, but still allow the drippings to flow off.
Try chorizo made from premium cuts of pork.
- Spanish chorizo is very different, so I don't recommend using that.
- Traditional Mexican chorizo is made from low quality pork byproducts, which taste great but do leave a little to be desired. You may be able to find "premium chorizo" or "chorizo made from premium cuts" which uses regular pork instead of byproducts.
- My grocery store carries premium chorizo, and it isn't too much pricer than the regular chorizo, so I usually pick that up if it's available.
Freeze the meat after smoking for super easy meals!
- When I make this smoked meatloaf, I like to freeze half for an easy meal to reheat on another day. I place the half meatloaf on a parchment paper lined sheet or plate, freeze it, then transfer it to a vacuum bag or freezer zip bag.
- A vacuum sealer is definitely a bit of an investment, but if you plan on frequently meal prepping meats in the freezer, it's a tool you will quickly fall in love with. Vacuum sealing keeps the meat super fresh in the freezer and prevents freezer burn completely.
- I recommend this vacuum sealer, which is one of the cheaper options among the name brands. I also love these vacuum bags!
Dietary Restrictions - Smoked Meatloaf
Make it Dairy-Free:
- Use bread crumbs instead of cheez-its, and use water or stock instead of the milk.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. I have listed the serving size as one slice (1/10th of the loaf) but many people would prefer to have more than one serving.
Smoked Meatloaf (with Chorizo!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef I use 80-20
- 1 lb Mexican chorizo sausage not in casing
- 1 small yellow or white onion very finely diced
- 1 cup finely crushed Cheez-It crackers can sub breadcrumbs
- 2 small jalapeño peppers or your favorite peppers
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoon milk can sub chicken stock or water
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 235 °F (or anywhere between 220 - 250 °F if you're smoking it with other things).
- Core the jalapeños to remove the seeds if you want to cut the spice a bit, or leave them for a spicier meatloaf, then finely dice the jalapeños. Finely dice the onion.
- In a large bowl, crack the eggs and gently whisk them, then add all of the other ingredients. Mix everything together until fully cohesive, but do not excessively mix. (Excessive mixing will make for a dense loaf with a poor texture)
- Spray a wire baking/grilling rack with oil. Form the meat into a log shape and place it on the rack. Using a loaf pan to shape the meat can help!(Do not place the loaf directly on your grill grates, it will likely stick and be a mess to remove)
- Smoke the meatloaf until it reaches an internal temp of 160 °F to 165 °F about 2-5 hours depending on your grill temperature. (If you want it to cook faster, form it into two smaller loaves rather than one large loaf)
- Remove the meat from the smoker, let it rest for a few minutes, slice it into ½-inch slices, and serve. You can use this on meatloaf sandwiches or on its own with sides like mashed potatoes. Delicious with a little bit of fresh thyme thrown on top.(The meatloaf cools down quickly after slicing, so slice just before serving!)
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, you may also like...
If you like this recipe, you may also like my Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Chorizo Breakfast Burritos, Smoked Pulled Pork, or Smoked Hot Dogs.
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Dave says
insanely good