Best Traeger Smoked Meatloaf (Bacon-Wrapped) Recipe | Sip Bite Go
This smoked meatloaf recipe wrapped in bacon is SO GOOD. It’s the ultimate pellet grill comfort food dish that’s easier to make than you’d think. This method makes it SUPER moist and tender. Let’s smoke bacon wrapped meatloaf on the Traeger… | sipbitego.com
Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 250 degrees F.
Prep the bacon wrapped meatloaf filling for smoking. Start by combining the smoked meatloaf beef mixture by adding to a large bowl: eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, diced bread, heavy cream, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until combined. Next, add in the ground beef. Use your hands to gently, loosely, combine the beef with the egg and seasoning mixture. Again, don’t over mix it – the goal is to mix everything until just combined.
Form smoked meatloaf patty. Set a large cast iron skillet or deep rimmed pan at your workstation. (As the meatloaf cooks on the smoker, juices will come out so you want a pan that’s at least 2 inches deep). To the center, add the ground beef mixture in a large log shape, wide enough to fit a piece of bacon around the center (about 5-6” wide).
Wrap meatloaf with bacon. Place the bacon strips on top of the ground beef so they are slightly overlapping, so the bacon fully covers the meatloaf, with no gaps between the pieces. Next, use your fingers and gently wrap the bacon around the sides of the meatloaf.
Smoke meatloaf on the pellet grill at 250 degrees F. Add the bacon wrapped meatloaf in the cast iron pan directly to a preheated smoker at 250 degrees F. Close the lid. (See thermometer recommendations on Sip Bite Go for tips on using a thermometer you can leave in while the meat smokes, so you don’t have to keep opening the lid to check, which lets out heat). Continue smoking until the internal temperature of the meatloaf smoking reaches 145 degrees F. FYI – This recipe has been adapted from baking meatloaf in the oven in a particular way where it cooks in its own juices to keep it very, very moist. While smoking, a lot of liquid is expected to come out of the meatloaf. That is OK. Later, you will take it out of the pan, removing it from the liquid, before slicing it.
Brush with BBQ sauce. When the meatloaf measures 145 degrees F internally, brush the top with BBQ sauce.
Continue smoking bacon wrapped meatloaf until it reaches 160 degrees F, as measured with an internal read thermometer. When it comes to cook times, exactly how long to smoke meatloaf will depend on how many times the pellet grill is opened and how thick the meatloaf is.
Finish smoked meatloaf by removing it from the smoker. Use two big spatulas to transfer the meatloaf from the liquid in the pan to a wire rack (over a rimmed baking sheet).
Rest smoked meatloaf, covered in foil, 15 - 20 minutes. To serve, transfer it to a cutting board and slice it into 2-3” segments. Serve with a little extra BBQ sauce in a small bowl if desired. Enjoy.