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Bacon Wrapped Smoked Meatloaf

Bacon wrapped smoked meatloaf with caramelized onions and gooey cheddar-mozzarella pockets. Low-and-slow smoking brings deep char, while BBQ sauce glosses the bacon in the final minutes.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
refrigerate 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
ground pork sausage
  • 0.5 lb ground pork sausage
thin-cut bacon
  • 1 lb thin-cut bacon
onion, diced and caramelized
  • 1 onion, diced and caramelized
breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese
  • 0.75 cup cubed sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese
large eggs
  • 2 large eggs
BBQ sauce
  • 0.33 cup BBQ sauce plus more for basting
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
BBQ dry rub seasoning
  • 3 tbsp BBQ dry rub seasoning

Equipment

  • 1 smoker

Method
 

Caramelize onions
  1. Sauté the diced onion in olive oil until caramelized and fragrant, then set aside to cool slightly.
Mix and chill the loaf
  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork sausage, caramelized onions, breadcrumbs, whisked eggs, cheddar and mozzarella cubes, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ dry rub seasoning, mixing gently by hand.
  2. Form the mixture into a loaf shape and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Wrap and smoke
  1. Wrap the chilled loaf snugly with thin-cut bacon slices, tucking the ends underneath.
  2. Place the loaf on the smoker and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 90 to 120 minutes.
  3. Brush with BBQ sauce during the last 15 minutes, then rest before slicing.

Notes

To keep the bacon from slipping, tuck the ends underneath tightly before smoking. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months. For a lower-fat option, choose lean ground beef and turkey-based sausage while keeping the same bacon wrap and internal temp.