Smoked (BBQ) Stuffed Meatloaf

4.65 from 14 votes
Jump to Recipe

Sharing is caring!

Smoked Stuffed Meatloaf is pure indulgence! The tender meat is jam packed with flavor, then stuffed with creamy mozzarella cheese, smoked on the grill, and finally finished with a spicy Sriracha ketchup.

This is the meatloaf of dreams. You can also check out our cookbook for another great meatloaf recipe.

Smoked (BBQ) Stuffed Meatloaf on a black platter

I was never a meatloaf fan growing up. No offense, mom, but you had other talents! Meatloaf was always too dry and bland for me. And the whole loaf idea just creeped me out.

Flash forward to these giant smoked meatballs, and everything changed. Our neighbor had created that recipe for his wife because meatloaf grossed her out, so he made meatballs instead (using the same flavors he’d want in a loaf). Smart thinking.

So I started giving meatloaf a chance. And woah, when it’s not overcooked and filled with great complimentary flavors, it can be pretty awesome. And when it’s cooked on the smoker, it’s downright delicious. Stuff it with a little cheese and top it with a spicy and sweet Sriracha ketchup, and, well, let’s just say I’m ready to marry you.

How to make Smoked Stuffed Meatloaf

What we’re doing with the smoker is slowly bringing the temperature of the meat up, giving it that sweet smoke infusion, and then finishing it with the sweet and spicy glaze at the end. Similar to how you’d cook it in your oven, but the smoker gives this BBQ stuffed meatloaf incredible flavor.

Which meat for smoked stuffed meatloaf?

We’re using a combination of ground beef and chorizo sausage. The flavor combination of these two is out of this world. Don’t have chorizo? Use any sausage blend you like like Italian sausage mix. We love using Snake River Farms ground beef, it’s a perfect mix of lean and fat.

You want to mix all of your meatloaf ingredients to fully incorporate (much like you would a meatball). But I learned a great trick from my foodie shero, Ina Garten, in that I don’t like my meatloaf add-ins raw.

  • I like to soften my onions and garlic first (believe me, it’s worth this step!).
  • I also don’t like milk in my meatloaf (I don’t think it needs it). Instead we’re adding chicken stock to the saute (you could use beef too), tomato paste, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce, just to give it that added moisture while it cooks.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the beef, sausage, egg (as a binder), breadcrumbs (you can use gluten free as well with same ratio), dry rub, and onion mix.
  • Once your meatloaf is mixed together (but not over-mixed) you can prepare to stuff it. We like to use our hands!

How to Stuff Meatloaf

Break the meat mixture in half and place it on a piece of parchment paper and press it out into the shape of a rectangle. In this case it was about 10″ long. Give it a sturdy base (close to 1″ if you can). Then place the cheese in the middle. I like mozzarella for this (because it melts well and it’s a mild flavor), but you can also use cheddar, gouda, or your favorite melt-worthy cheese.

How to stuff meatloaf with cheese

Next roll out the remaining meat mixture as wide as the base and gently place it over the top, sealing the sides together, trying to avoid any holes or open areas for the cheese to seep out of.

Make sure the loaf is nice and sealed, and it’s now ready for the smoker.

How to Smoke Meatloaf

I recommend you keep it on your parchment paper for this for ease of transferring. I take the extra step of keeping on a sheet pan while cooking (though this is optional).

How to cook meatloaf on the grill
  • Smoke Meatloaf: Smoke your stuffed meatloaf at 250 degrees F using apple wood for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat is 150 degrees F.
  • Glaze Meatloaf: Add your Sriracha ketchup mix. We keep it simple by just adding about 1/2 cup of ketchup to 1/4 cup Sriracha. Taste it and if you find it too spicy add more ketchup (or even a smidge of brown sugar). It’s going to be up to your taste preferences and sensitivity to Sriracha. You can also use BBQ sauce instead of Sriracha if you don’t care for the spice (but I love me a little spice!).
  • Continue Cooking: Cover the smoked stuffed meatloaf with the sauce and then close the lid and smoke for an additional 20-30 minutes (until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 and that Sriracha ketchup has caramelized a little.
  • Remove from heat, allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, just long enough to handle but you don’t want the cheese to harden up, then dig in!
Smoked Meatloaf cooked on the grill
Smoked Meatloaf stuffed with cheese

If you like this recipe we’d truly appreciate it if you would give this recipe a star review! And if you share any of your pics on Instagram use the hashtag #vindulge. We LOVE to see it when you cook our recipes. 

Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Smoked (BBQ) Stuffed Meatloaf
4.65 from 14 votes

Smoked Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe

A slowly smoked meatloaf, stuffed with mozzarella cheese and finished with a spicy Sriracha ketchup glaze.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground chorizo sausage
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 a medium onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon Ultimate Dry Rub
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (you can also use gouda or cheddar)

Sriracha Ketchup

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Sriracha (can also sub BBQ sauce if you don’t like the spice)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit using fruit wood like apple or cherry. Oak works great too.
  • In a large bowl combine the beef and chorizo sausage and set aside. 
  • In a large skillet set to medium heat, add olive oil and onions and cook for 5-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 additional minute. Remove from heat and add the tomato paste, Worcestershire, and chicken stock. Mix to combine. 
  • In the bowl with the meat mixture add the egg, breadcrumbs, dry rub, and onion/liquid mix. Mix, gently, using your hands, and separate into two equal parts. 
  • On a sheet pan covered with parchment paper add half the loaf and spread it into a rectangle shape about 1″ thick. 
  • Place the cheese in the center (see photos above), leaving about 1″ around all sides. Shape the other half of the meat mixture to the same size as the bottom layer, place it on top of the cheese, and seal all edges and sides. 
  • Place the loaf (on the sheet pan for ease) on the smoker and cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until internal temperature is 150 F. 
  • Cover the loaf with the Sriracha Ketchup mixture and cover the smoker lid, and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 F (this could take an additional 20-30 minutes). 
  • Remove and let rest 5-10 minutes. And dig in! 

Sriracha Ketchup

  • Mix ketchup and Sriracha in a small bowl and stir to incorporate.

Notes

*For the Dry Rub we used.
*If you are sensitive to heat, taste test the Sriracha ketchup before placing it on the meatloaf. If it’s too spicy for you add more ketchup (or even a tablespoon or two of brown sugar). Alternatively you can use BBQ sauce instead of Sriracha. 
*Exact cooking times will vary based on thickness of your meat and smokers. Always cook to temperature, not exact time. 
Consider more flavor with “The Blend“. Add 1 cup of finely diced white button mushrooms (like the size and texture of ground beef) with diced onions and sauté until browned, and then follow the rest of the recipe. That easy. Simply adding the mushrooms elevates the flavor (plus nutrition!). White button mushrooms are the most popular variety in the US and are fat free, cholesterol free, and have added nutrients like vitamin D and B.

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1292mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 806IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Barbecue
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 583
Keyword: bbq meatloaf, meatloaf, smoked stuffed meatloaf, stuffed meatloaf
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

mary cressler headshot

Vindulge

About Mary


I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

You May Also Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We love meatloaf – always have! But this took it to a whole new level! Was absolutely perfect and very good. It was easy to bring together, too. Will definitely be making this again. Might try it with a smoked gouda or gruyere cheese next time. And, for anybody thinking chorizo would make it too greasy, it’s not! Give it a try!!

  2. “….because meatloaf grossed her out…” Despite using these words “meatloaf” and “grossed her out” together in an introduction to a recipe, I’m still going to attempt to try this.

  3. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness – all that melty cheese looks SO good! I love that you smoked the meatloaf too!!! I definitely want to give this one a try!

  4. 5 stars
    That shot of the mozzarella oozing out made me hungry for this right now! 10:30am seems perfectly acceptable to be eating meatloaf when it looks this good. Awesome recipe!