Description
Smoked meatloaf meets Halloween! Learn how to make a juicy classic BBQ meatloaf and a bacon-wrapped mummy meatloaf stuffed with cheese and soft onions. Both get a homemade BBQ glaze, real wood smoke and plenty of flavor.
The secret to juicy meatloaf? Grated onion mixed straight into the ground beef and pork. For the Halloween version, we take it further with a cheesy filling, bacon “bandages” and edible eyes. A fun Halloween dinner idea that tastes just as good without the costume!
This video is sponsored by Borniak Smokers and ChefsTemp. Thank you for supporting PitmasterX!
BORNIAK: https://borniak.eu/ | https://borniak-ovens.nl/
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Classic smoked meatloaf meets Halloween
00:21 Slowly cooking the onions
00:58 Beef and pork meatloaf mixture
01:26 Seasoning and the grated onion trick
02:21 Shaping the classic meatloaf
03:06 Making the cheese and onion stuffed meatloaf
04:36 Borniak smoker setup at 120°C
04:58 Easy homemade BBQ glaze
05:23 Checking the smoke color
05:49 Adding bacon to the Halloween meatloaf
06:09 Glazing and raising the temperature
06:25 Monitoring the internal temperature
07:07 Slicing the classic smoked meatloaf
08:00 Turning the stuffed meatloaf into a mummy
08:44 Halloween meatloaf taste test
09:01 Wrap-up
SMOKED MEATLOAF RECIPE
The base recipe below makes ONE meatloaf. To make both versions shown in the video, double the base ingredients and add the Halloween extras to one loaf.
BASE INGREDIENTS — PER MEATLOAF
• 1 kg / 2.2 lb ground meat: 50% beef and 50% pork
• 1 egg
• 100 g / 3.5 oz breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp PitmasterX Classic BBQ Seasoning, plus extra for the outside
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 onion, grated
• 5 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
EXTRAS FOR THE HALLOWEEN VERSION
• Sliced onions for the filling
• Butter for cooking the onions
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cheese of your choice for the filling
• Thin bacon strips, enough to cover the loaf
• 2 slices of hard-boiled egg
• 2 jalapeño slices
Use onion and cheese quantities to suit your loaf, leaving enough room to seal the meat around the filling.
HOMEMADE BBQ GLAZE
• ½ cup / 120 ml ketchup
• ¼ cup / 60 ml apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp PitmasterX Classic BBQ Seasoning
• 2 tbsp honey
METHOD
1. Prepare the onions.
For the stuffed version, melt some butter in a pan. Add the sliced onions, salt and pepper. Cook gently over low heat until very soft and translucent, without browning. Let them cool before filling the loaf.
2. Make the meatloaf mixture.
Combine the ground beef and pork with the egg, breadcrumbs, BBQ seasoning, grated garlic, grated onion and parsley. Mix thoroughly until smooth and cohesive.
3. Shape your meatloaf.
For the classic version, shape the mixture into a loaf on a smoker-safe perforated silicone mat supported by a rack. Sprinkle extra seasoning over the outside.
For the Halloween version, shape half the mixture into a base with raised edges. Add the softened onions and cheese, keeping the edges clear. Cover with the remaining meat mixture and seal all the way around.
4. Start smoking.
Set your smoker to 120°C / 248°F. Smoke the meatloaf until it develops a rich smoky color. In the video, this first stage takes a little over an hour.
5. Mix the glaze.
Stir together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ seasoning and honey. The glaze should be thin enough to brush on easily.
6. Add the bacon and glaze.
Once the smoke color has developed, switch off the smoke generator. For the Halloween version, drape thin bacon strips across the loaf in an irregular pattern to create mummy bandages. Brush both versions with BBQ glaze.
7. Finish cooking.
Raise the smoker temperature to 150°C / 302°F and return the meatloaf to the smoker. Use a meat thermometer and cook until the ground meat reaches at least 71°C / 160°F throughout. Check several spots, placing the probe in the meat rather than only in the cheese filling. Make sure the bacon is cooked through.
Cooking time depends on the thickness of your loaf and the filling. Follow the internal temperature rather than the clock.
8. Create your Halloween mummy.
Let the meatloaf rest briefly. Place two slices of hard-boiled egg on top and add a jalapeño slice to each one for the eyes. Slice and serve!
Which one would you choose: classic smoked meatloaf or the bacon-wrapped Halloween mummy? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe to PitmasterX for more BBQ recipes and outdoor cooking inspiration.