CSG Cook Something Good

Smoker Recipes

Smoked Meatloaf

A simple pellet smoker meatloaf with 80/20 ground beef, onion soup mix, oats, ketchup, and just enough smoke to make it taste like a weekend meal.

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Two finished smoked meatloaves glazed with ketchup on foil-lined pans
Prep 10 min
Cook About 1 hr
Smoker 300 to 325 F
Done at 160 F

My Personal Notes

This is one of our family favorites. I personally like the version with the potatoes in the oven but the potatoes don't turn out as well in the smoker. They tend to dry out. Now the smoky flavor in the smoker is fantastic. Just make sure you don't add the ketchup or BBQ sauce until later in the cook. I also sometimes get a little carried away with too much ketchup on top.

Printable recipe

Smoked Meatloaf

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Serves 6 to 8 Pellet smoker Internal temp: 160 F

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
  • 1 packet onion soup mix
  • 1 cup uncooked instant oats
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Pellet Smoker Method

  1. Mix all ingredients well. If the mixture seems too wet, add more oats a little at a time. If it seems too dry, add a small amount of water.
  2. Do not overmix it, but make sure all ingredients are well blended. Shape it thicker for a classic loaf, or flatten it for more smoked flavor.
  3. Place the meatloaf on a pan with a wire rack. If needed, place aluminum foil on the rack so the meatloaf does not fall through.
  4. Cook at 300 to 325 F in a pellet smoker for about 1 hour. A flattened loaf will cook faster; a rounded loaf may take longer.
  5. Do not add any ketchup or BBQ sauce to the top until the internal temperature reaches 130 F. This allows the meat to absorb the smoky flavor first.
  6. Pull the meatloaf when the internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Alternative method

Oven meatloaf with potatoes

This same recipe can be used in a traditional oven. When cooking it in the oven, cut potatoes into bite-size chunks and spread them around the meatloaf. The grease that cooks out helps cook the potatoes and makes them crispy.

You do not normally need a rack or foil to elevate the meatloaf in the oven, so the potatoes will cook. If you are not fixing potatoes with it, keep it on the rack in a pan to catch the grease. Be careful when pulling it out of the oven.

Meatloaf glazed with ketchup and surrounded by roasted potatoes in an oven pan

Original recipe notes

Smoked Meatloaf

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
  • 1 onion soup mix
  • 1 cup instant oats, uncooked
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of ketchup
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Pellet Smoker Recipe:

Mix all ingredients well. If the mixture seems too wet, add more oats a little at a time and mix them in. I never have an issue with the mixture being too dry but if that's the case, you can add a small amount of water.

Don't over mix it but make sure all ingredients are well blended. If you want a thicker meatloaf, you can put the mixture in a loaf pan but if you want it to have more of a smoked flavor, put it on a pan with a wire rack. I place aluminium foil on the rack to ensure the meatloaf doesn't fall through.

Do not add any ketchup or bbq sauce to the top until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. This allows the meat to absorb the smoky flavor first.

Cook at 300 - 325 in a Pellet Smoker for about an hour. If the loaf is flattened out, it will take much less time to cook. If it's more rounded like a traditional loaf, it will take longer. Make sure the internal temp reaches 160 degrees before pulling it.

Alternate Oven Cooking Method:

This same recipe can be used in a traditional oven. We use the same recipe for both. When I cook it in the oven, I cut up potatoes into bite size chunks and spread them around the meatloaf. The grease that comes off ends up cooking the potatoes and making them crispy.

I do not normally use a rack or foil to elevate the meatloaf when cooking in the oven so the potatoes will cook. If you are not fixing the potatoes with it, feel free to keep in on the rack in a pan to catch the grease. Be very careful when pulling it out of the oven.

Reader notes

Comments and ratings

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