This week’s recipe in a nutshell – smokin’, packed with big flavor, comfort food that gives a classic recipe a kick in the pants. Such an easy recipe to make using the new and improved Bull Bison Charcoal Grill. You’ll be walking right by the indoor oven, b-lining towards your Bull Outdoor Kitchen to create your own #meatloafmoment.
This week on the menu, Bull BBQ smoked meatloaf. Both fresh ground beef and mild Italian sausage are used as the base, which is held together with simple ingredients, egg and panko. Kick it up a notch with caramelized onions, garlic, fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and reduced Bull BBQ sauce/paste. Once formed, generously season with Bull’s sweet heat dry rub, coating the meatloaf, and place into the preheated Bison grill, filled with smoky tones, to cook low and slow. Brush the meatloaf with a final glaze of Bull bbq sauce and cook a few more minutes until a beautiful, rich, dark brown crust has formed on the outside. This dish is a perfect combination of intense infused smokey notes with sweet tones from the dry rub and bbq sauce. Who wants a piece?
Chef’s Note:
- Once the loaf is formed, carefully place onto the medium or large size Bull veggie grid. The perforated holes allow for the smoky flavor to adhere to the bottom of the loaf. Once done, the grid makes it super easy to remove from the grill grates, without having to worry about it breaking apart trying to use two spatulas.
BBQ SMOKED MEATLOAF
Author/Photo/Food & Set Styling: Chef Amy Aberle-Rogan
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 1.5 hours | Total Time: 2 hours
Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, 80/20
1/2 lb. fresh italian sausage, bulk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko, plain
2 medium yellow onion, small dice, caramelized, click here for recipe
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons italian parsley, minced
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Bull BBQ Sauce, reduced to thick paste, additional bbq sauce for glazing
Bull sweet heat dry rub
RECIPE PREPARATION:
Mixing the ingredients: In a large bowl add the ground beef, sausage, egg, panko, caramelized onions, minced garlic and parsley, grated parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the reduced Bull BBQ paste. Using your hands, mix well until all the ingredients are distributed.
Forming the loaf: Place the meatloaf mixture down onto a clean surface. Using your hands, press down onto the mixture, creating the form for the meatloaf. Gently press down with your hands, rolling the loaf around, until all the ingredients hold together, creating a uniform shape loaf. Carefully transport the formed loaf onto the large veggie grid.
Soaking the wood chips: Place 4 cups of mesquite wood chips into a large bowl of water for 45 minutes. Place a plate on top of the wood chips to emmerce them under the water. Once ready, drain and set on a paper towel until time to use.
Preheating the bison grill: Remove the grill grates from the new and improved Bull bison grill and set aside. Place some newspaper underneath the Bull black chimney starter and place on one side of the charcoal basket. Fill the chimney starter full to the top with Bull’s competition blend lump charcoal. Light the paper and allow the coals to heat up to medium-hot, about 20 minutes. Directly next to the black chimney starter on the other side of the charcoal basket, grab some more lump charcoal from the bag and place down directly on to the basket (roughly the same amount placed into the black chimney starter).
Bull pit mitt on hand, grab the handle of the black chimney and gently spread them out on top of the unlit coals. Now place the wood soaked mesquite wood chips on top of the fiery coals. Place the grill grates back onto the grill. Close the lid and open up ALL the vents on the Bison grill. Preheat until the temperature raches 275 degrees F. You will start to see white smoke escaping the air vents from the wood chips and charcoal.
At this point, close the bottom vent ⅔ way closed and the side vents on the lid halfway. The goal is to reach and maintain 330-350 degrees F. Adjust the air vents accordingly until the temperature is reached.
Seasoning the meatloaf: Generously season the entire loaf with Bull’s sweet heat dry rub. Spray the seasoned loaf occasionally with water. The moisture allows the smoke flavor to adhere better to the loaf and avoids it from drying out.
Grilling the meatloaf: Take the seasoned meatloaf that has been placed on the large Bull veggie grid and place on the grill grates on the opposite side of the smoking coals, cooking with indirect heat. Close the lid and allow the meatloaf to cook for 1 ½ hours at 330-350 degrees F. If the temperature is running too high, simply remove some of the lit coals from the grill and place into a heatproof container.
Glazing the meatloaf: Once the meatloaf internal temperature reaches 135-140 degrees F, open the lid and glaze the outside of the loaf using Bull’s basting brush and bbq sauce. Close the lid to finish cooking. The meatloaf is done when Bull’s instant read digital thermometer reads 155 degrees F. At this point clear juices will be running out of the loaf. Using the Bull pit mitts, remove the veggie grid from the grill and allow the meatloaf to rest and carry over cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Slicing and serving the meatloaf: Carefully cut 6 – 8 ( ½ inch slices) and serve immediately! Enjoy!
🙌 Chef Amy Aberle-Rogan
p.s. Don’t forget the leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches the next day!
Great looking and tasting meatloaf. Just the right amount smoky flavor.