Recently I tried some smoked meatballs at Wholefoods Market. They were delicious -- best meatballs I've ever tasted. Recently, I received an email from Malcolm Reed (
www.howtobbqright.com) regarding smoked meatloaf. I'd never considered smoking meatloaf because I've never been crazy about meatloaf probably because I've never tasted a good one BUT if a smoked meatloaf could turn out as good as the smoked meatballs maybe I should give it a try.
You can go to Malcolm's website and check out the recipe & video. Watch the video closely because some things are left off off the written recipe. I used BBQ sauce instead of ketchup. I used SIRLOIN instead of 80/20 ground chuck. I didn't overwork the meat and used a alum pan to form the meat and cooked on a wire rack. I cut the recipe in 1/2 for one loaf.
Sadly, I didn't like the meatloaf because sirloin was a bad choice. I decided to make some adjustments. I switched to 80/20 ground chuck and instead of bread crumbs I used crushed Saltine Crackers. Some of you old folks can ask your wife what that's all about -- younger folks will have to ask their grandmother!! I diced and and sauted green peppers and added a dash of Worstershire. I also used McCormicks Meatloaf Season Mix.
I smoked at 275* and a internal of 160* I used Pecan and rotated the loaf at 120*. I glazed (Jack Daniel's Hickory Brown Sugar) at 150*. Cook time on my Lang was about 2.5 hours.
I should have cooked 2 loafs but I wanted to see how the adjustments turned out -- BEST meatloaf I ever tasted!!