Bacon Wrapped Smoked Meatloaf
This smoked bacon-wrapped meatloaf is stuffed with cheese and glazed with a tangy bbq sauce. The smoky flavor from the pellet grill adds a delicious depth of flavor, and the bacon creates a self-basting effect, keeping the meatloaf incredibly moist. Pockets of melted cheese ooze out of every slice, and the bbq glaze adds a sweet and tangy flavor.
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- ⅓ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons BBQ dry rub seasoning
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- 2 to 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cut in small cubes
- 2 to 3 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 pound thin cut bacon
Glaze
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the pellet grill to 225°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Finely grate the onion and toss it into a large bowl along with the juices from the onion. Stir in the BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and dry rub. Whisk well.
- Stir the bread crumbs into the mixture. Let the crumbs soak in the wet mixture for about 5 minutes and absorb the liquid.
- Crumble the ground beef and pork sausage over the mixture and mix it until well combined. Stir in the cubes of cheese.
- Place the meat on the baking sheet and shape it into a loaf. Lay slices of bacon over the top of the meatloaf, slightly overlapping them. Tuck the ends under the loaf.
- Brush BBQ sauce over the top of the meatloaf and place it in the Traeger. Close the lid to the grill and smoke for 2-½ to 3 hours or until the internal temp reaches 160°F. Baste the meatloaf with more BBQ sauce one more time, 30 to 45 minutes prior to removing it from the smoker.
Notes
- In place of the bread crumbs, you can use crushed crackers, Panko bread crumbs, or crushed croutons.
- If you want to suspend the meatloaf above the grease and juices while it cooks, you can place a rack on top of the sheet pan and put the meatloaf on the rack. We found it makes more of a mess to clean the grates of the rack.
- Optional cooking method: you can bake this in the oven at 350°F for 1 hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 1916mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g
