Smoked Meatloaf

Griffin

I've been craving comfort food lately and in particular meatloaf. Now meatloaf is good when its made right, but even better when smoked. I chose to do the Collucci Brother's Meatloaf from Bobby Flay's show Throwdown. I've done it before, so I know its good, but this time I was going to tweak it to fit my palette better.

I think it turned out better than their published version, but anything with smoke is always better. Check out my blog to see how I tweaked it.

http://griffinsgrub.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/smoked-meatloaf/

 

Botch

Great timing Griffin!  I was wondering what to cook this weekend, that sounds like a Go!  

Botch

Oh man, did this come out good!  I wondered what would happen if I just laid the loaf directly on the cast-iron grate (the wide side of the CI grate supported the meat loaf just fine).  In the Pursuit of Science, I made two loaves and tried them both ways (had a drip pan underneath the non-foiled loaf).  The loaf in the foil pan was juicier, while the loaf on the bare grill had a better crust and looked better (and by no means dry).  Really, it was a tossup, both were the best meatloaves I've ever made.     

 

I bastardized three different recipes:

1 lb 80/20 ground beef

1 lb country pork sausage

one yellow onion

two carrots

two celery stalks

one clove garlic

one pkg Lipton onion soup mix, dry

one cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup ketchup

one tsp salt

dash of tabasco

two eggs, beaten

Grated the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, and sauteed lightly in bacon fat; let cool.

Mix the sauteed aromatics and everything else in a large bowl, using your hands.  Add a bit of water if it gets too dry.  Form into two loaves.  My Small settled in at 280º, I smoked mine with hickory to an internal temp of 165 like Griffin.  

I don't think the leftovers will last very long...   :-bd

Botch

Incidently, this is the first time I've used my Egg in cold temperatures (25º F today) and I actually had problems getting the lump burning (its kept outside so was cold too).  I had to use two paraffin squares before I got it going, and even then the temp wasn't rising.  I opened up the Small again but then noticed the coals glowing... my thermometer was broken!  I quick swiped the thermometer out of my Large and continued, but now I need a new thermometer.  

Cookinupnorth

I made this two weeks ago and it was awesome as well!